The U.S. Forest Service this week directed its employees in California to stop prescribed burning "for the foreseeable future," a directive that officials said is meant to preserve staff and equipment to fight wildfires if needed. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED  Californians will vote on ten statewide ballot propositions this fall. Among them is Proposition 3, which would enshrine the right to same-sex marriage in the California constitution. Reporter: Yue Stella Yu, CalMatters Voter support appears to be waning for a ballot measure that would increase the state’s minimum wage.  Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED  The head of the federal agency in charge of securing our nation’s election infrastructure is on a speaking tour, trying to instill confidence in the integrity of the coming vote.  Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the final weeks of the presidential campaign, migration at the U.S.-Mexico border remains a heated topic. Former President Donald Trump calls it an “invasion.” And Vice President Kamala Harris is vowing tougher enforcement. So what is actually happening at the border? Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED The editorials editor of the Los Angeles Times has resigned after the newspaper’s owner, billionaire biotech entrepreneur Patrick Soon-Shiong, blocked the editorials team’s plan to endorse Kamala Harris in this year’s presidential election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Orange County is once again poised to help decide control of Congress this November. The 47th district is one of the swing seats up for grabs. And college education levels are dividing voters in the district’s two largest cities.  Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED America, Mexico and Los Angeles have all lost an athletic and cultural icon with the death of former L.A. Dodgers player Fernando Valenzuela at the age of 63. Embattled Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do has resigned from his position and agreed to plead guilty to a conspiracy to steal millions of taxpayer dollars, funds that were intended to feed seniors.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this year, state energy officials approved a strategic master plan to start developing enormous offshore wind farms in the waters off the coast, with hundreds of wind turbines each the size of the Eiffel Tower sitting atop floating platforms. But what's on tap for the growing industry? Guest: Adam Stern, Executive Director of Offshore Wind California It's day 2 of a strike by thousands of Kaiser Permanente mental health care workers in Southern California. More than 100 picketed outside the healthcare provider’s medical center on Sunset Blvd. Monday. Reporter: Robert Garrova, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Weeks Ago, We Heard From an Opponent of Prop 36, Now, We Speak With a Supporter We hear from the owner of a 7-Eleven franchise in Los Angeles, whose store has been targeted by thieves at least twice. He tells us how his experience shaped how he feels about Prop 36. The bill would undo criminal justice reforms that voters approved more than a decade ago; that means tougher sentencing on non-violent crimes, reclassifying some misdemeanors as felonies, and placing harsher penalties on repeat offenders. Kaiser Permanente Workers in Southern California Go on Strike More than 2,400 mental health workers with Kaiser Permanente in Southern California went on strike this morning, setting up picket lines at facilities from Los Angeles to San Diego. Represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, the mental health professionals mobilized to strike over the weekend, after rejecting Kaiser's terms on Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Proposition 33 once again puts rent control on the ballot. The previous initiatives failed, but the idea is gaining momentum in California, and nationally. Even President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have embraced it. Still, rent regulations remain controversial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this high stakes election year, many politically-engaged Californians are volunteering in their communities. But some feel they can make more of a difference traveling out of state, like to neighboring Nevada.   Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has agreed to pay $880 million dollars to victims of clergy sex abuse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most healthcare employers in California are required to increase their minimum wage starting Wednesday. This is the first raise of its kind in the U.S. specific to healthcare. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED This fall, school districts throughout the state are asking voters to approve billions of dollars in bonds to repair and renovate aging campuses. But what is a bond? Reporter: Mariana Dale, LAist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Californians gear up for the upcoming election, we've got some big races on the ballot, you know, President of the United States and U.S. Senate. But there's also a pivotal decision looming whether to back a $10 billion state climate bond. Guest: Caleigh Wells, KCRW Governor Gavin Newsom signed a controversial special session measure aimed at lowering gas prices. But it has plenty of critics. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Proposition 6 on the November ballot aims to get rid of “involuntary servitude” for people in prison. You might know that some of these folks fight wildfires, but people who are in prison also do jobs as varied as cooking and making furniture, and usually they’re paid pennies an hour. Reporter: Audy McAfee  The nonprofit California Fire Foundation has expanded its memorial wall, which honors fallen firefighters at the State Capitol. Reporter: Manola Secaira, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last month, a Fresno County ordinance went into effect that prohibits people from sleeping or camping on public property. So where will the city’s thousands of unhoused people go next? An untraditional program is attempting to reduce some barriers to housing.   Reporter: Esther Quintanilla, KVPR The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA, gives protection from deportation to more than half a million undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. as kids, including tens of thousands in California. The latest in a series of legal battles over the program came Thursday in a federal appeals court. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the campaign trail, Vice President Kamala Harris often talks about standing up for voters. One of her biggest tests of this promise came more than a decade ago, during the peak of the subprime mortgage crisis.  Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Riverside’s city council struck down a proposal by the city attorney and police department to prohibit items that could be used as weapons during protests. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the race for control of Congress, all eyes are on California. Election analysts see more competitive contests for the House of Representatives here than in any other state. One of those is the 47th District in Orange County, where Democrat Dave Min is taking on Republican Scott Baugh. Guest: Guy Marzorati, KQED State workplace regulators have fined a farm labor contractor near Sacramento more than $17,000 for serious heat safety violations. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The recent hot weather has brought attention to schools, and how many of them lack air conditioning and other infrastructure to keep kids safe. The issue is even more crucial at child care centers because young kids have a harder time adapting.  Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED Smoggy air has plagued California cities during this recent heat wave. And new research shows that pollution may affect children’s brains. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED Spending more time on screens increases the likelihood that 9-and 10-year-olds will develop symptoms of mental illness. That's according to a new study out this week from UC San Francisco. Reporter: Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been one year since Hamas-led militant groups launched attacks on Israel, killing more than 1200 Israelis and taking more than 200 people hostage. Many of those hostages have still not been released. And more than 41,500 people in Gaza have been killed by the Israeli bombardment according to Palestinian health officials, with a ceasefire still nowhere in sight. The war in the Middle East has also led to growing tensions here in the US. An LA-based organization is working to ease the tensions between the two communities. Guests: Ben Ginsburg and Tasneem Noor, NewGround  The state Department of Public Health is investigating a possible third human case of bird flu in the Central Valley. The first two confirmed human cases were in Tulare County. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thousands of foster children in the state are at risk of being moved from their homes. That’s after a major insurer for foster family agencies says it will no longer cover these organizations, starting this month. These agencies recruit and oversee foster parents, and without insurance, they can’t operate. Reporter: Elly Yu, LAist   California needs to do more to contain bird flu on dairy cattle ranches. That's what one infectious disease expert says, as state health officials investigate the first two confirmed human cases of bird flu in the state. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Draft One is software that uses basically the same AI as Chat GPT. In seconds it generates the narrative for a police officer's report by analyzing the transcript of their bodycam audio. East Palo Alto is among a handful of cities across the state including Fresno, San Mateo, Campbell and Bishop that have started testing or using the program. But some experts are questioning its accuracy. Reporter: Sukey Lewis, KQED Flood officials are strengthening a levee system in Monterey County that burst during a storm last year, flooding nearly 300 homes in Pajaro. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED The largest dam removal project in U.S. history was completed Wednesday on the Klamath River near the California-Oregon border. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CARE Court turns one this week. When it rolled out last year in eight California counties, the program took aim at one of the state’s most pressing challenges -- how to treat people whose illness often makes them believe they are not sick, particularly those who, left untreated, move between jail, hospitals and homelessness. So how's it going? Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED  The Line Fire in the San Bernardino Mountains flared up over the weekend, forcing more evacuations in areas south of Big Bear Lake. On Tuesday, prosecutors gave details about how they believe the fire was started.  Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Tuesday is the second day of a strike by thousands of dockworkers on the East and Gulf coasts. And so far, there hasn't been a huge impact at two major ports on the West Coast, the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Oakland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Borel Fire was the largest wildfire in Kern County’s history. It tore through 60,000 acres in the southern Sierra Nevada and consumed the historic town of Havilah earlier this summer. State crews have only just begun cleanup efforts as those displaced reckon with the devastation.  Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR California Attorney General Rob Bonta is suing a Eureka hospital for denying a patient a needed abortion. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the highest profile measures on California's November ballot is Proposition 36. If passed, it would roll back criminal justice reforms approved by voters ten years ago to reduce incarceration rates and increase punishments for certain drug and theft crimes like carjacking, burglary and shoplifting. Supporters say Prop 36 needs to pass because of increases in some property crimes and growing public anxiety over retail theft. But what does a person who once committed those kinds of offenses think about the measure? Guest: Robyn Williams, LA Resident New CDC data show how important COVID vaccines are during pregnancy. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KFF Health News A new poll finds a majority of California voters support two bond measures on the November ballot.  Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Haitian community group filed a criminal complaint this week in Ohio over former president Donald Trump’s false claims that Haitian immigrants were eating cats and dogs. The same group helps Haitian immigrants along California’s border, and says Trump’s accusations are reverberating there too.  Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED A bill designed to help Black families reclaim land taken by the government, or get compensation for it, has been vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom.  Reporter: Annelise Finney, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here are the morning’s top stories on Thursday, September 26, 2024… The FBI is investigating an explosion that took place the lobby of the superior court complex Wednesday morning in Santa Maria, California. Five people were sent to the hospital with minor injuries, and people living or working several blocks around the court complex were evacuated. A suspect has been taken into custody. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez / The California Report As outer space becomes more accessible and more commercial, more people are choosing to launch their cremated ashes into the cosmos. Reporter: Kerry Klein / KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here are the morning’s top stories on Wednesday, September 25, 2024… Mexican drug cartels are recruiting San Diegans to smuggle fentanyl into the United States. Prosecutors are worried about teenagers getting caught up in the cross-border drug trade. Gustavo Solis / KPBS Gavin Newsom signed a bill that will remove debt owed to a medical office or hospital from Californian's credit reports. Ana Ibarra / CalMatters Invitation Homes, a massive corporate landlord, has agreed to pay $48 million to settle a lawsuit with the Federal Trades commission. The FTC alleges Invitation Homes charged tenants junk fees, and withheld security deposits. Adhiti Bandlamudi / KQED Hotel workers in Hawaii's largest resort are joining thousands of others striking hotels in California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here are the morning’s top stories on Tuesday, September 23, 2024… In January of 2025 the Los Angeles Unified School District will ban cellphones on campus. More California school districts will follow suit, as Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law Monday that will require districts to restrict phones on campus. It’s part of a growing movement to help students improve academically, socially and emotionally. But one school has a cell phone ban already in place... and the students seem to be thriving. At least 18 cities and counties across California have put in place new bans on homeless encampments since the Supreme Court in June gave them more power to do so. One of those cities is Fresno. California is suing ExxonMobil for an alleged "campaign of deception" around the true impact of plastic recycling. What One CA School Learned When They Banned Cell Phones Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill this week that will direct schools to create policies to restrict student cell phone use. But at Marina Del Rey Middle School in Los Angeles, cell phones have already been banned. There, Principal Sidra Dudley requires students to power off their phones each morning, then enclose them in neoprene pouches secured by a magnetic lock, created for that purpose by a company called Yondr. The pouches stay locked throughout the day.. Six months after the school implemented the ban, the Los Angeles Unified School District followed suit. With a 5-2 majority, the school board passed a resolution forbidding cellphones in all public schools. Students at Marina Del Rey Middle School say this ban has made them less distracted in class. And teachers say test scores are improving. Fresno Rolls out Plans for Homeless Ban Fresno city leaders on Monday laid out plans for enforcing one of the state’s harshest crackdowns on homeless encampments, which bans public camping anywhere, anytime. Since the Supreme Court in June empowered cities to crack down on homeless encampments, and Gov. Gavin Newsom seized on the opening to push for ramped-up sweeps, at least 18 jurisdictions around the state have put in place new camping bans — the most of any state, according to a tally maintained by the National Homelessness Law Center. CA Sues ExxonMobil California is suing ExxonMobil for an alleged "campaign of deception" around the true impact of plastic recycling. The lawsuit was filed by The California Department of Justice on Monday. The lawsuit alleges that Exxon knowingly misled Californians by promoting all plastic as recyclable. The company is the world’s largest producer of fossil fuel materials that are used to make single-use plastics. The lawsuit is seeking billions of dollars. This comes at a time when California Environmental groups, including Sierra Club and Baykeeper, have also announced a separate lawsuit against ExxonMobil over the same issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California is home to most of the country’s fruits and nuts, like avocados and almonds. But climate change means hotter temperatures and increased drought for the state, making it harder to grow those crops. That’s pushing farmers to seek alternative crops that don’t need as much water, like agave.  Reporter: Manola Secaira, CapRadio  It was a busy weekend for Governor Newsom, who signed and vetoed dozens of bills on his desk. He approved several bills aimed at helping aging Californians, and also vetoed legislation that would have required public universities to hire undocumented students for campus jobs. Reporter: Juan Carlos Lara, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thousands of Californians serving jail time are legally eligible to vote, but many don’t know it, according to advocates and inmates themselves. Reporter: Sameea Kamal, CalMatters Protesters disrupted a University of California Board of Regents meeting Thursday, where university leaders approved requests from campus police departments to purchase military equipment and weapons.  Reporter: Juan Carlos Lara, KQED  Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani blasted three home runs and stole two bases during the team's 20-4 win on Thursday. He became the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More students in the San Joaquin Valley are graduating high school not just with a diploma, but also with an associate’s degree. Taking college classes while still in high school can help them finish college and accelerate their careers. Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR Women and people of color are still among the lowest-paid workers in California. That’s according to a new report released on International Equal Pay Day. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED  Five UC campuses are hoping to bolster their police forces with the purchase of more military and surveillance equipment. That includes drones, pepper powder and less-lethal firearms, also known as “anti-riot guns.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A few years ago, two companies, one nonprofit, one for profit, received more than $100 million in taxpayer dollars to quickly house homeless people in California. It was part of Governor Gavin Newsom's Project Homekey, which turned hotels into shelters for unhoused people. But little has come from the partnership. Guest: Anna Scott, Reporter, The California Newsroom  The man accused of starting the Line Fire in San Bernardino County pleaded not guilty to arson charges on Tuesday. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR California's Surgeon General introduced a new initiative Tuesday that aims to cut the state's maternal mortality rate by 50% in two years. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Babies and toddlers are removed from their homes and placed in the child welfare system far more than older kids. It’s a traumatic experience that takes place during a pivotal period of development. A judge in Compton is transforming the way she handles cases involving kids under three, by supporting their parents so they can better care for their babies. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED State energy officials warn Californians will soon see higher gas prices during another annual cost spike. It comes as the legislature prepares to hold hearings on gas prices this week. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Animation Guild, which represents thousands of animation artists, writers and technicians, is restarting negotiations with Hollywood studios on Monday. Hollywood’s been churning out animated hits since the 1930’s. And since this heyday certain jobs have been dominated by women. There's now growing evidence that a historical gender bias could be the reason for an existing pay gap. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW Governor Gavin Newsom signed more than two dozen bills into law over the weekend, and vetoed six others. Reporter: Nik Altenberg, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democrats and Republicans are using immigration as a political flashpoint, as we approach election day in November. Meanwhile, California has been on the front lines of the issue for decades, and it has taken some unique approaches to help those that have made the journey to make the Golden State their new home. Police have arrested a man they suspect started the Line Fire that's currently burning in the mountains of San Bernardino. Officials say that 34-year-old Justin Wayne Halstenberg of Norco ignited the fire on September 5th in Highland near Baseline Road. Prosecutors say he tried to set to other fires that same day. Meanwhile, crews in Southern California are continuing to battle the Airport Fire, which is now burning in both Orange and Riverside Counties. Since igniting on Monday, the wildfire has scorched more than 23,000 acres. It's only 8% contained as of this morning.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The California Department of Corrections is investigating after more than 100 women incarcerated in a Central Valley prison were allegedly pepper sprayed and tear gassed by staff for more than an hour. Inmates who’ve been in the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla for years say it was the most severe use of force they’ve seen. Guest: Madi Bolaños, The California Report Wildfires continue to burn out of control across Southern California. The largest is the Bridge Fire burning in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. That fire has burned more than 51,000 acres as of Thursday morning with no containment. Evacuation orders are still in place for the Bridge, Airport and Line fires. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bridge Fire burning in the Angeles National Forest outside of L.A. has exploded in size growing to more than 47,000 acres with no containment. Evacuation orders are in place for small mountain communities and flames have consumed homes in Wrightwood and swept through the Mountain High Ski resort. The Airport Fire continues to burn across dry chaparral covered hills in Orange County. The wind-driven blaze had charred more than 22,000 acres, and jumped into Riverside County on Tuesday. The Line Fire has burned more than 34,000 acres in and around the San Bernardino National Forest. Smoke from the blaze– and others around the state— is making air quality unhealthy for more than 10 million people in Southern California, especially in inland areas. Some people are getting creative to protect themselves.  Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR California’s unhoused population has grown by 8% to 186,000 people. That’s according to a new analysis of state homelessness data from our California Newsroom partner, CalMatters. Reporter: Marisa Kendall, CalMatters With the presidential race entering its final weeks, a new survey finds that economic issues are top of mind for California’s 9 million Latino voters. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the San Bernardino mountains, the Line Fire has burned more than 26,000 acres. The fire is only 5% contained and is expected to get bigger in the next few days. More than 65,000 homes and other structures are threatened.  Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR In Orange County, a fire that broke out on Monday and rapidly grew has burned about 9,000 acres as of Tuesday morning. The Airport Fire broke out between rugged scrublands and suburban neighborhoods in the county’s Trabuco Canyon area. Authorities continue to assess damage to the city of Clearlake from a wildfire that ignited Sunday in Lake County. The Boyles Fire burned at least 30 homes and as many as 60 cars. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED A new report that assessed K-12 schools nationwide gives California a “D” on school data transparency.  Reporter: Carolyn Jones, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should people who aren’t U.S. citizens be allowed to vote in some elections? Well, that very question is going to be on the November ballot in the Orange County City of Santa Ana in the form of local measure DD. If passed, DD would amend Santa Ana’s municipal charter and allow non-citizen residents of the city, both documented and undocumented, to vote in all local elections. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report  The hot weather across California this past weekend once again provided a huge challenge for fire crews. In the San Bernardino Mountains, 60 miles east of Los Angeles, the Line Fire exploded in size. It’s burned more than 20,000 acres. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California schools must now adjust sports practices and games when it’s too hot outside. The state law went into effect this summer. Reporter: Mariana Dale, LAist A bill on Governor Newsom’s desk would ban employers from forcing workers to attend anti-union meetings. Reporter: Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters Criminal justice advocates are hopeful the U.S. Department of Justice's investigation into two California state prisons will bring much needed change. The investigation into facilities in Chowchilla and Chino comes after what officials say are "hundreds" of lawsuits and some criminal allegations of sexual assault. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The hot weather will continue across much of the state on Thursday. Triple digit temperatures are expected, and heat advisories have been issued for many inland regions. The extreme heat can be life-threatening for many Californians, especially those without air conditioning in their homes. Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR Cities that aren't following state housing laws are on notice: California Governor Gavin Newsom says he’ll sign a bill that will impose hefty penalties for those that don’t follow the rules. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fentanyl is a dangerous narcotic that kills more than 100,000 Americans each year. Donald Trump and many other politicians say this deadly drug is regularly smuggled into the U.S. by undocumented immigrants. But experts said those claims are largely false.  Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS Two major California health plans have been hit with a combined $850,000 in fines for illegally denying coverage for gender-affirming care. Reporter: Shaanth Nanguneri, CalMatters   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new round of COVID shots is shipping to doctor's offices across California. And for the second year in a row, the federal government is not picking up the tab. Physicians have to order the vaccine weeks in advance and pay up front for the shots. And because of that, many are taking a more cautious approach when it comes to ordering the shots.    Reporter: Jackie Fortier, KFF Health News Thousands of migratory birds have died so far in an avian botulism outbreak in the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge. Reporter: Juliet Grable, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Highway 99 has its share of iconic landmarks: there’s Buck Owens Crystal Palace, the Delano Box of Mandarins, the McFarland Runners, and the Merced Mammoths. But in Madera County, you might not recognize the Palm and the Pine. The two trees are said to represent the middle of California and have been there for nearly a hundred years. But they might not have much time left. Reporter: Esther Quintanilla, KVPR  California lawmakers passed a controversial warehouse bill on the final day of the legislative session, despite opposition from environmental justice groups, industry and cities and counties statewide. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal labor enforcement authorities recover millions of dollars for workers each year from employers who break minimum wage, overtime pay and other laws. But a significant chunk of that money never makes it to wage-theft victims, many of whom are in California. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED State lawmakers are jockeying to push remaining bills through to Governor Newsom before the Legislature adjourns on Saturday.  Reporter: Sameea Kamal, CalMatters A bill that would compensate people for property taken by racially-motivated uses of eminent domain is headed to the governor’s desk after being approved by the state legislature on Thursday. Reporter: Annelise Finney, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the state is dealing with a big budget deficit, it's harder to get bills with big price tags approved. But now, a handful of lawmakers say they think the Newsom administration purposely overestimated how much their bills would cost to help ensure they wouldn't advance in the legislature. Guest: Ryan Sabalow, CalMatters A milestone in the largest dam removal in U.S. history happened early Wednesday. Two temporary dams were breached, directing the Klamath River back into its historic channel for the first time in more than a century. Reporter: Juliet Grable, Jefferson Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bill making its way through the state legislature in Sacramento would commemorate a little-known chapter of US history: a large-scale deportation of Mexicans – and Mexican-Americans – nearly a century ago that hit California hard. It comes in an election year when mass deportation is again a political topic.  Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Undocumented immigrants may soon qualify for a California program that gives loans to first time, first generation home-buyers. A bill expanding the program - known as The California Dream For All - advanced in the state senate on Tuesday.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve had a close loved one pass away, what comes next includes a lot of logistical hurdles: planning a funeral, reading a will, and deciding what to do with their body. There’s traditional burial, there’s cremation, and recently a new method has taken off. It’s called terramation. Basically, human composting. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW Public school teachers in California are required to call the police if a student assaults or threatens them. This week, state lawmakers will vote on a bill that could change that. Reporter: Jenna Peterson, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the last week for state lawmakers to decide on a set of reparation bills meant to address hundreds of years of racial discrimination. Meanwhile in Santa Monica, one woman is still seeking justice decades after the city took her father's land. Silas White was a black entrepreneur who planned to turn the land into a beach club for black beach goers. In March, the Santa Monica City Council voted to explore compensating White's descendants for his plot of land. But in late July, the city missed its self-imposed deadline for a report that would have provided recommendations on reparations to the council. Guests: Connie White, daughter of Silas White and Kavon Ward, CEO of Where Is My Land  State occupational health and safety regulators are trying to speed up their investigations of fatal accidents. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the biggest stage of her political career, Kamala Harris introduced herself as the party’s official presidential nominee. In a packed arena at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Harris addressed delegates, elected officials and voters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As record-breaking temperatures melt California this summer, medical professionals are sounding the alarm about the added risks extreme heat poses to people with diabetes. But one bakery in Imperial County has some solutions. Reporter: Philip Salata, inewsource The Newsom administration has cut a deal with Google and OpenAI to kill two state bills that would have made tech platforms share ad revenues with news organizations.  Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED San Bernardino County is California’s largest county in terms of size, with a population of just over 2 million people. The county has studied the idea of seceding from the rest of California, arguing that San Bernardino County doesn’t get its fair share of state money. But a new independent study that’s out says that argument is just wrong. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the last ten years, something strange has been happening in Monterey Bay. Juvenile white sharks, whose range historically didn’t reach Northern California, have been spotted in droves in places like Aptos and Marina. And these new predators are changing the ecosystem. Reporter: Elena Neale-Sacks, KAZU Governor Newsom touted new job figures showing the state added thousands of fast-food jobs this year. Those gains occurred after California raised the minimum wage for most fast food workers to $20 an hour in April. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of California President Michael Drake sent out a letter this week calling on campuses to enforce a zero tolerance policy when it comes to protest encampments on college campuses. But some UC students say the crackdown is untenable. Reporter: Billy Cruz, The California Report Long Beach is the latest city in California to tackle the issue of homeless encampments. Because of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on encampments, giving cities more leeway to enforce anti-camping regulations, more local governments will likely take the same route as Long Beach, and start to clear the unhoused population off the streets. Governor Gavin Newsom has also threatened to withhold state funds if cities don’t start working to clear encampments. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, Hollywood Boulevard has been marketed to the world as a glamorous and sophisticated place. But the reality of contemporary Hollywood Boulevard is very different. Some blocks, like around Grauman’s Theater, are packed with throngs of tourists, merchants and street performers. But they’re on overcrowded sidewalks with few amenities, like shade and seating. But planners are working to make it more friendly for walkers and cyclists alike. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Thousands of Democratic Party delegates, party leaders and politicians are in Chicago to kick off this week’s Democratic National Convention and officially name Vice President Kamala Harris as their party's presidential candidate. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the saying goes, one person’s trash is another’s treasure. And that’s true at a landfill in Riverside County. Workers at the Lamb Canyon Landfill have started rescuing items to resell at a new store.  Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR A new poll shows California voters are supportive of a plan to increase penalties for theft and drug offenses, and to raising the state's minimum wage. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Last month, Governor Newsom signed a bill into law that bans school districts from requiring staff to disclose a student’s gender identity or sexual orientation to anyone without the student’s permission. But this week, the school board of the Cajon Valley Union School District in San Diego County voted unanimously to do just that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three years ago today, as the U.S military completed its pull out, Taliban forces captured Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. In the wake of that change, many Afghan refugees fled to the U.S. and California. They settled in the Bay Area, L.A. and San Diego, but some also found a new home in California’s Mojave Desert.  Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR  The Boise Fire, burning in Humboldt and Siskiyou counties, has charred more than 9600 acres, according to fire officials. The fire has led to mandatory evacuations. Reporter: Justin Higginbottom, Jefferson Public Radio Some California Democrats have announced a campaign to back a state proposition that would increase penalties for theft and drug crimes.  Reporter: Kristin Lam, CapRadio  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Syringe exchange programs have been around in the U.S. since the 1980s, and offer people who use drugs clean needles to reduce the spread of HIV and other infectious diseases. But in some California cities or counties, residents or political leaders are fighting to keep them out. Harm reduction advocates are hoping for the state's support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Republicans are hammering Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris on immigration. They're calling her a 'failed border czar' responsible for the surge of migrants coming to the U.S., but she's pushing back with a tough on the border message. So where does she stand on immigration and the border? Guest: Tyche Hendricks, KQED  A 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck 2.5 miles southeast of Highland Park, in LA County on Monday afternoon. In terms of intensity, the shaking was strong enough to knock items off shelves, but didn't cause any widespread damage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A group of incarcerated people, led by a former prison doctor, are trying to influence policy in California. They’re doing this by looking inward, and reflecting on their beginnings. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio On Sunday, the 2024 Summer Olympic Games concluded in Paris. Now attention shifts to Los Angeles, host of the Games four years from now. How’s planning for the L.A. Olympics going and what's left to do? Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five actors take the stage for a performance in Humboldt County. One of them is Black, the others are white. In this region, fewer than 25% of residents identify as people of color and they often find themselves victims of lifelong habits of the white majority. This production of The White Card aims to shake up those entrenched dynamics. Reporter: Kelby McIntosh California Governor Gavin Newsom helped clear a homeless encampment in the Los Angeles region on Thursday. Newsom vowed to take money away from local governments if they don't clean up homeless encampments. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Multiple cities throughout California have seen temperatures way above 90 degrees this week. Workers, both indoors and outdoors, are feeling the heat, but for the first time ever, indoor workers finally have protections against excessive heat in the workplace. At the end of last month, state officials unveiled new rules of what’s required in indoor workplaces when temperatures surpass 82 degrees. Guest: Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí, KQED California put hundreds of millions worth of federal homelessness dollars at risk. A federal audit out this week blames “chaotic” and “disorganized” anti-fraud policies at the state’s housing agency. Auditors gave the California agency it's lowest possible ranking. Reporter: Marisa Kendall, CalMatters A new report says abortions are up nationwide compared to before Roe v. Wade was overturned two years ago. California is leading the way, providing more than 16,000 abortions a month on average. Reporter: Spencer Whitney, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been just a few weeks since President Joe Biden decided to end his presidential campaign. And now with Vice President Kamala Harris atop the ticket, young Democratic voters in California are energized in the lead-up to the November election. Guests: Aashi Jhawer and Dzian Tran, Voters of Tomorrow For many young GOP voters in California, the selection of JD Vance speaks volumes to them. He's a younger running mate who shares many of the same values as them. And it's not just the presidential race that's on their mind. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stories about homelessness in Los Angeles tend to focus on problems in big, urban cities. But homelessness has actually been growing faster in a remote desert region 90 minutes north of Downtown L.A.’s Skid Row. Reporter: David Wagner, LAist Sacramento State has released the findings of a highly anticipated forensic examination of Capital Public Radio’s finances. It found more than $700,000 in “unsupported” payments, or payments that could not be backed up by expense reports or receipts. Nearly $400,000 was paid out to one individual, whose name was redacted. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite some unsettled weather this weekend, crews continue to make progress on the massive Park Fire burning northeast of Chico. The fire, the fourth largest in state history, has burned more than 401,000 acres. Many evacuation orders and warnings have been lifted, meaning residents can return to their homes. Reporter: Alec Stutson, North State Public Radio A UC Davis report confirms a years-long trend at Lake Tahoe, where water clarity improves in the winter but becomes far worse in the summer. Reporter: Manola Secaira, CapRadio   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're watching the Olympics, you may recognize world famous athletes like Lebron James or Coco Gauff. But residents of a California beach town might recognize the voice of an announcer from their local radio station. Brad Jay typically works for a Santa Barbara classic rock station, but right now he's with the Olympic Broadcasting Service doing TV commentary. Lately he's been calling kayak and canoe slalom, and will also do three-on-three basketball and BMX freestyle. This is his eighth time covering the games since Salt Lake City in 2002. He hopes to continue calling at the 2028 Los Angeles Games in his resident Southern California.  Reporter: Lance Orozco, KCLU In addition to five firefighting crews from Texas and Utah, the California National Guard is also joining in the fight against the Park Fire with aircraft assistance. Crews from the National Guard are expected to join also. The Park fire is on the verge of becoming the fourth largest in California history. Cal Fire announced that wildfires have scorched more than 750,000 acres in California this year. That’s 29 times the area that burned last year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California's strategy to fight climate change includes hydrogen. The universe's most abundant element that, under the right circumstances, can power everything from trucks to turbines without greenhouse gas emissions. Now there's a national effort to promote hydrogen energy. But there are concerns about health and safety. Guest: Molly Peterson, Public Health Watch In addition to destroying homes and property, the explosive Park Fire is also putting one of California’s most iconic species at risk. Reporter: Rachel Becker, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The situation at the U.S.-Mexico border is a contentious election issue this year. Polls show a large number of Americans want to restrict immigration, but they also support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who’ve long lived in this country. California immigrant advocates hope to capitalize on that support this week as they lobby in Washington DC for a bill that could make legalization possible for millions.  Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Among all of former President Donald Trump’s border policies, forced separations of migrant families was the most controversial. President Joe Biden vowed to end the separations when he took office. But they’re still happening.  Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS Wildfires continue to grow across the state. The Park Fire in Northern California is the fifth largest in state history. And in southwest Riverside County, firefighters are working to contain the rapid spread of the Nixon Fire. The blaze has burned nearly 5,000 acres. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A persistent misconception about Los Angeles is that the city doesn't have a real mass transit system, especially when it comes to buses. But L.A. has one of the largest transit riderships in the country. Unfortunately, many of the bus shelters are shoddy, with no canopies, shelters or nighttime lighting. But the city is working to make improvements. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report The Park Fire continues to grow in Northern California. The fire has now grown to more than 380,000 acres. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fire crews were able to take advantage of calmer and cooler weather conditions on Saturday, to make some progress on the Park Fire burning in Northern California. But the fire has grown to be the sixth largest on record in California, burning more than 368,000 acres. In Kern County, the Borel Fire has also erupted in size, burning more than 50,000 acres. That includes tearing through the town of Havilah. The community is considered a California Historical Landmark, becoming the county seat in Kern County back in 1866. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Park Fire north of Chico is chewing huge amounts of land and has exploded to more than 164,000 acres in just over a day. The fast-moving grass and brush fire forced more than 4,000 people to evacuate the foothills of Lassen National Forest to find shelter on flatland. Evacuation warnings now include Paradise, which the Camp Fire all but destroyed in 2018. Guest: Ezra David Romero, KQED Homeless rights advocates blasted a decision by Governor Gavin Newsom to crack down on homeless encampments across the state. Meanwhile, some city officials are celebrating the decision. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California has strong, clean air and clean energy goals that are currently aligned with federal policy. Arguably, the state has never had so much climate momentum. And now, with Kamala Harris poised as the Democratic standard bearer, the Golden State could see one of its own in the White House. Harris has spent much of her career working on environmental and climate issues. A Harris administration could help the state meet its goals and perhaps give it additional momentum. But what might happen to the state goals under a second Trump presidency? Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Cal Fire is rushing crews to the latest rapidly growing wildfire in Northern California – this time forcing thousands of people from their homes in Butte and Tehama counties. The Park Fire has burned more than 45,000 acres. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kamala Harris is the first Black and Asian American woman to ever serve as vice president. And now, Harris will likely be the first person of South Asian descent to lead a major party's presidential ticket. This comes as there's a growing grassroots movement to empower these communities to take part in the democratic process. Guest: Taher Hasanali, Political Director with India America Impact A 15 year old boy from Gaza, who lost both legs in a bombing earlier this year, is now in California to receive prosthetics and medical treatment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The phrase "representation matters" might sound trite, but it's true and meaningful. Bay Area resident Joti Singh says the possibility of a Kamala Harris presidency means something to her young daughters, who like Harris, are also of Black and South Asian descent. Reporters: Sasha Khokha & Marisa Lagos, KQED Kamala Harris' rise to the possible Democratic Party nominee is once again putting a spotlight on the Black community. Many feel a deep sense of pride in her likely nomination. But they also wonder whether the U.S. is ready for a Black woman to be President. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a historic announcement, President Joe Biden announced Sunday he's ending his reelection campaign. The president endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to run in his place as the Democratic presidential nominee. Guest: Marisa Lagos, KQED Most California delegates were quick to voice their support for Kamala Harris as the next Democratic Party nominee. Guest: Alexei Koseff, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Republican National Convention came to an end Thursday night with a speech from GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. The Trump campaign is gaining momentum as we head to November. But will the national GOP agenda resonate in deeply blue California, particularly in a region that had long been a GOP stronghold, Orange County? Guest: Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Politics Editor, Orange County Register Departments of the University of California must now post opinions on a separate page instead of their website homepage. The new rules would require academic departments to only post research, course information and other administrative announcements on their homepage. Reporter: Mikhail Zinshteyn, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Republican National Convention wraps up Thursday night in Milwaukee with a speech from presidential nominee Donald Trump. The talk around the convention this week is the importance of congressional races in California, and how the state can be involved in the GOP's national agenda. Guest: Guy Marzorati, KQED A state ballot measure set to go before voters this November could trigger a wage hike for California prisoners. Reporter: Shaanth Nanguneri, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For most migrants and asylum seekers, San Diego is not a final destination. It's a layover. But more migrants are choosing to stay in San Diego. And many are becoming homeless. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS California will have to build public charging stations at an unprecedented — and some experts say unrealistic — pace to meet the needs of the millions more electric cars expected on its roads in the next decade. Reporter: Alejandro Lazo, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year, the city of Fontana hired a private contractor to help enforce its strict new street vending law. Officials say it’s working. But some vendors say the crackdown is affecting their livelihoods. Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR California delegates to the Republican National Convention are cheering former president Donald Trump's pick of Ohio Senator JD Vance as his vice presidential nominee. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Governor Gavin Newsom has signed landmark legislation prohibiting forced outing policies in schools, making it the first state to do so. The bill bans schools from requiring educators to disclose information regarding a student’s sexual orientation or gender identity to parents. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a fast-moving fire broke out over the hills near the town of Mariposa earlier this month, residents rushed out of their homes. The French Fire started on the Fourth of July, and was the latest fire to hit so close to the town. And for residents, fire is becoming a part of life. Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR California Republicans are in Milwaukee this week for the Republican National Convention, just days after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.  Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peso Pluma’s new album Éxodo just dropped and it hit the Billboard 200. The artist sings corridos, a type of Mexican traditional music that was once relegated to Spanish language radio. But today, a younger generation of artists like Peso Pluma and Xavi are bringing the music into the mainstream. And California's demographic change is helping to fuel this movement. Reporter: Aisha Natalia Wallace-Palomares, UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism The U.S. Postal Service has until Friday to put forward a plan to reopen two rural California post offices. For over two years, the town of Niland in Northern Imperial County has been cut off from daily access to the mail, after the local post office burned down in 2022. Reporter: Kori Suzuki, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The California State Fair kicks off this week in Sacramento. This year's State Fair will have something new that no state fair in the U.S. has ever had. For the first time, marijuana sales and on-site consumption will be allowed. Guest: James Leitz, Executive Producer of the State Fair’s cannabis competition and exhibit As calls continue from some elected officials for President Biden to drop out of the presidential race after his poor debate performance, Governor Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that he remains steadfast in his support of the president as the Democratic Party’s nominee. Former U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer is also dismissing calls for Biden to step aside. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED A new law will mandate California high schools teach students about the dangers of fentanyl. Reporter: Heidi de Marco, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uprooting Almond Trees in California Could Impact Bees’ Ability to Pollinate Fruit Trees Further North Yesterday we told you how over-production in California's almond industry was hurting local growers, with some resorting to uprooting almond trees to maintain their livelihoods. That’s been a buzzkill for some beekeepers in the Pacific Northwest. In Washington and Oregon, bee populations rely on the nectar they get from California almonds trees, which ultimately help keep fruit trees productive at home, and hive populations thriving. After Ripping Through Thousands of North California Acres, Thompson Fire 100 Percent Contained The toll of a wildfire that broke out last week near Oroville in Butte County has been released. State fire officials say the Thompson Fire destroyed 13 single family homes and destroyed or damaged several other buildings. The fire, which scorched nearly 4,000 acres was declared 100 percent contained on Monday of this week.  California Bills Aimed to Regulate Artificial Intelligence on Track for the Governor’s Desk In Sacramento, a number of bills involving the regulation of artificial intelligence have a good chance of making it to Governor Newsom’s desk, Including one that would limit what can be done with AI replicas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the last decade, almonds have turned up everywhere. Even at the Super Bowl, where a commercial showed actor Jeremy Renner supercharged by almond milk. Even so, California almond producers have been struggling. Growers have in some ways been the victims of their own success - although the outlook might be improving.  Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR A sweltering heat wave continues in much of our state this week. Now, a new report from the state’s insurance commissioner takes a long view on the dangers of high temperatures, reporting that nearly 140,000 Californians visited the hospital because of extreme heat in the last decade  Reporter: Olivia Zhao, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The state uses the billions raised from the gas tax every year to pay for the constant work of freeway and highway maintenance and new road construction. But the gas tax faces a reckoning. Newer vehicles are ever-more fuel efficient, meaning less revenue is raised from taxing the fuel that’s pumped into them. So the state could eventually move to a model where drivers pay a fee for every mile they travel. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report A $10 billion bond for California’s schools will go before voters this November. If it passes, the multi-billion dollar bond would pay for repairs and upgrades at thousands of K-12 school and community college buildings across California.  Reporter: Carolyn Jones, CalMatters  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Now that we're in the heart of summer, and given that this is California, probably a lot of us are going to go to the beach and plunge ourselves into the Pacific, or maybe will splash into a backyard or public swimming pool. But in California's wilderness areas, there are lots of other places to find bliss in the water, like lakes, waterfalls, ponds, and hot springs. Guest: Dillon Seitchik-Reardon, Author "Places We Swim California" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California now has an official state mushroom. The designation went into effect this year thanks to a new law signed by Governor Newsom. The Californian Golden Chanterelle was chosen in a poll by the California Institute for Biodiversity which pitted five other mushrooms against the winning chanterelle. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than 6400 Latinos died in police confrontations or in police custody between 2000 and 2022. That's according to La Raza Database project, which seeks to uncover the true number of Latinos who have died in violent confrontations with police. Still, the project's researchers say that number is likely much higher. Guests: Roberto Camacho, Reporter and Ivette Xochiyoti Boyzo, Project Manager, La Raza Database Project  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Starting Monday, a new law goes into effect in California that will require businesses to disclose all costs up front. Basically a ban on so-called junk fees. This would impact the next time you stay at a hotel, buy concert tickets, or book a short term rental, as you should in theory, know the entire price beforehand. Restaurants were supposed to be included in this new law, but a fast track bill was passed last week and signed by Governor Newsom that exempts them. So they're allowed to continue using service charges as long as the nature of that fee is clearly stated on its menu. Guest: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The program allowing Californians to borrow a state parks pass from their local library has received funding for another year. The program started in 2021 as a way to make access to state parks easier for Californians who might not be willing or able to pay 195 dollars for an annual pass. Reporter: Manola Secaira, CapRadio A woman from Michigan will become the first hijab-wearing athlete to attempt the oldest 100-mile ultramarathon in the country, right here in California. While the race is considered one of the most prestigious in the running world, it’s also one of the most exclusive. Reporter: Mark Nieto, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hundreds of thousands of health care workers in California who’ve been expecting a minimum wage increase will have to wait until at least October to get it. The delay comes as a result of the state's new budget deal. Reporter: Ana B. Ibarra, CalMatters In Oakland, nearly 20 percent of young children enrolled in Head Start are going through homelessness. That makes it hard for their families to get to the preschool program consistently and on time. So the city found a way to reach these children where they’re at. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve found yourself at a makeup store recently, especially in a mall after school, you might’ve noticed more young people around you. Like really young. Like elementary and middle school young. This is a trend and it has a name: Sephora Kids. And their purchases are doing damage to more than just their parents’ bank accounts. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW Fresno's Police Chief has resigned. This follows an investigation that cleared Paco Balderrama of wrongdoing, after an internal complaint stemming from an affair with an officer’s wife. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Biden's recent executive actions point asylum seekers toward existing legal pathways. But those pathways, like the CBP One app, aren’t working for the most vulnerable migrants. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS State fire officials say so far this year, the number of acres consumed by fires in California is four times the five-year-average. Meteorologists are predicting a hot, dry summer that could lead to a very active, dangerous fire season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recycling centers have been shutting down across California for years. That means fewer opportunities for people to recycle their bottles and cans — and get back their deposits. And the state is sitting on hundreds of millions of dollars in unclaimed bottle deposits. Reporter: Scott Rodd, KPBS State leaders say they’ve reached an agreement on the state budget. In a press release, Governor Newsom said the deal involves $300 billion in expenditures, while filling a nearly $47 billion budget deficit. The deal proposes to use more than $12 billion from the state’s rainy day fund over the next two years to help shore up the deficit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Information is still scarce regarding the FBI's raid of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao's home on Thursday. It was one of a number of raids conducted by the agency in the city. School districts in California are under pressure to reduce chronic absenteeism. But getting kids back to the classroom can be a challenge for districts with limited resources. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED     Baseball fans are saying bye to the "Say Hey Kid" Willie Mays. Thursday night’s San Francisco Giants game was held at the historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham Alabama, where Mays made his professional debut in 1948. But at Oracle Park in San Francisco, fans old and young came together to watch the game on the scoreboard, root for their team - and grapple with the loss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About a quarter of all new vehicles sold in California last year were zero emission. But there are big regional differences in where electric vehicles are bought and driven in the state. You see a lot of them on the road in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and Orange County, but it’s harder to spot them in the Central Valley or Imperial County. But there are programs aimed at addressing the EV gap. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED California workplace regulators are expected to vote Thursday on new protections from dangerous heat for millions of indoor workers. The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board is considering new rules that would require most employers to keep indoor work areas below 87 degrees when feasible, or if it's not, change workers’ shifts or use protective equipment to reduce the risks. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays passed away on Tuesday. He was 93. Mays spent 21 years with the Giants and is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Reporter: Brian Watt, KQED Today is Juneteenth, the day that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S. at the end of the Civil War. In Humboldt County, the group Black Humboldt is ready to shift its Juneteenth focus to a broader celebration of the Black experience on California’s North Coast. That's after four years of Juneteenth events aimed at educating the local community about the holiday. Reporter: Kelby McIntosh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresno State calls itself the Central Valley’s university, but campus buildings and infrastructure are increasingly dilapidated. And twice now, Fresno County residents have voted down ballot measures that would have provided the university with more than a billion dollars for repairs and maintenance. Will voters ever change their mind? Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR  Wildfires are burning up and down the state. In Sonoma County, crews are beginning to get a better handle on the Point Fire, which has burned more than 1,200 acres. And staff from around a dozen wineries in Sonoma County are anxiously waiting to learn the fate of their businesses, after they fled the fire on Sunday.  Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Palm Springs is known as a wealthy city filled with luxurious hotels and casinos. But lesser known is the history of its violent racism against a predominately Black and Latino neighborhood. Now, former residents are seeking reparations.  Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California Report Several large wildfires broke out across the state over the weekend, burning thousands of acres in the process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal agencies are considering a controversial rule that would restrict rock climbers from leaving gear attached to cliff walls in designated wilderness areas. This could affect some of California’s iconic routes in Yosemite and other historic climbing destinations.   Reporter: Alix Soliman, KQED The state legislature passed a placeholder state budget Thursday, just ahead of a mandatory deadline. But lawmakers must still negotiate with Governor Newsom on the final deal. Reporter: Alexei Koseff, CalMatters A bill that would ban “forced outing” or “parental notification” policies in California schools has moved forward in the state legislature. At least six California school districts in the past year have adopted measures that require staff to tell parents if their child changes their gender identity at school. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a county’s only hospital closes, you might expect there to be dire, immediate effects on public health. However, since Madera Community Hospital closed its doors in early 2023, the consequences haven’t been so clear. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR California insurance regulators are sharing the next phase of their plans to fix the state’s ailing insurance market. The new regulations propose to let insurance companies use the catastrophe models they want, but in exchange, require them to offer more coverage in wildfire-prone areas of the state. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California is expanding transitional kindergarten with a vision of making it available to every four-year-old in the state by fall of 2025. The state has a long way to go to reach its goal of serving 300,000 students. And while many families are eager to sign up, they face complicated logistics.  Reporter: Blanca Torres, KQED Governor Gavin Newsom has removed an outspoken occupational safety expert from the regulatory body that adopts California’s workplace health and safety rules. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When school starts in 2025, every 4-year-old in the state will be able to attend public school. It’s a new grade known as transitional kindergarten. But in the lead-up, many schools are struggling to find the necessary classroom space for these additional classes. Reporter: Elly Yu, LAist A California law that set guidelines for classifying workers did not unfairly target Uber and other gig companies. That’s according to a federal appeals court ruling that came down on Monday. Reporter: Levi Sumagaysay, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California is in the middle of an ambitious plan to offer transitional kindergarten to all four-year-olds by the 2025-2026 school year. It's poised to be the largest free preschool program in the country. A lot of the kids heading to TK are dual language learners. But a shortage of bilingual teachers could hamper the state's ambitious goals. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED  A Superior Court judge has granted a temporary restraining order to the University of California, pausing the strike by thousands of academic workers who walked out over the UC’s response to pro-Palestinian protesters. But some legal experts are questioning that decision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The California Supreme Court has ruled that UC Berkeley can start construction on student and supportive housing in People’s Park -- and also gave the green light to a much larger campus expansion project. The case has brought mixed reaction from the wider Berkeley community. Reporters: Adhiti Bandlamudi , KQED and Billy Cruz, The California Report A new report shows Sacramento County’s homeless population dropped 29% compared with two years ago. That’s one of the largest reductions statewide. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio California has funded over 4 million tax-free savings accounts for students to pay for college. But many families don’t seem to know the money’s there. Reporter: Jacqueline Munis, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are stars exploding all around us. They burst, flash and fade. Some leave visions of their spectacular journeys in telescopes. A high school student recently turned supernovae data into a piece of music. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED President Joe Biden signed an executive order this week that shuts off asylum to most migrants who enter the country illegally. But it has critics on both sides of the political divide. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Los Angeles' tourism industry, still trying to rebound from the pandemic, has gotten a gift in the form of Shohei Ohtani. Japanese fans have come by the thousands to see the superstar play for his new team, the Dodgers. Reporter: Josie Huang, LAist Votes in the election to recall the controversial conservative school board president in Temecula are still being counted. Early results show the effort to recall Joseph Komrosky winning by a 54-46 percent margin. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With two-thirds of California’s unhoused population living unsheltered, cities are increasingly turning to tiny homes to get people off the streets quickly. Now lawmakers are considering a plan to make it easier to build them. Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED For the second time, state labor officials have rejected the University of California's request to get a court order to stop the UC academic workers strike. This comes as workers from three more campuses are going on strike this week. Reporter: Billy Cruz, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Republicans in California have struggled to gain power at the state capitol, but they’ve found more success recently on school boards. Conservatives have made gains in these local seats -- but now they’re facing pushback in the form of recall elections -- including two underway right now in Riverside County and the Bay Area. Reporters: Guy Marzorati, KQED and Madison Aument, KVCR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reaction was not surprisingly mixed to Donald Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts, marking the end of the former president’s historic hush money trial. Republicans are still standing strong behind Trump, while many Bay Area residents said they were surprised and pleased by the verdict. Analysts say that Trump’s guilty verdicts may not sway his GOP base, but they could change how swing voters view him and the coming November election.  Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Looking to fix the state’s insurance crisis, Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled a bill to speed up insurance premium rate reviews this week. Under the bill, the Insurance Department would have up to 120 days to review insurers' requests and provide a rate estimate. Reporter: Levi Sumagaysay, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

175 tiny homes for the unhoused are expected to be unveiled in South Sacramento this fall. That’s a year past Governor Gavin Newsom’s projected launch. But it turns out, it’s the only project delivering on the original promise. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio Classes will once again be held online at UC Santa Cruz on Thursday as a group of pro-Palestinian protesters say they plan to continue to block the main entrance to the campus. On Tuesday, both roads leading into campus were blocked, leaving many stranded for hours. Reporter: Erin Malsbury, KAZU At UC Davis, a dozen students held a peaceful demonstration on campus on Wednesday, in support of the 125 Israeli hostages that remain in Gaza. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In March, the country’s largest stone fruit producer laid off thousands of workers in the San Joaquin Valley. The announcement came months after the Fresno-based company, Prima Wawona, declared bankruptcy. The collapse has left many in the Central Valley wondering how prepared the workforce is for industry disruptions. Reporter: Esther Quintanilla, KVPR California firefighters often wear protective gear that also has some amount of toxic chemicals in it. Now efforts are underway to change that.  Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Tuesday at UCLA and at UC Davis, unionized student academic workers will strike. They’re protesting the UC system’s crackdowns on pro-Palestinian demonstrations, filing unfair labor practice charges. The university system has argued that the strikes are illegal. This is the second wave of strikes on UC campuses. At UC Santa Cruz, academic workers have now been on strike for more than a week. UAW 4811 members there say morale remains high, and they appreciate other campuses joining in on the strike. Guests: Rebecca Gross & Katherine Rogers, Grad Students and UAW 4811 members at UC Santa Cruz As California faces a deficit in the tens of billions of dollars, Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed a number of painful spending cuts and program reductions. But advocates are calling on California lawmakers to save some programs, like one that provided In-Home Supportive Services for undocumented immigrants. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As our weather warms over the summer, we’re approaching peak rattlesnake season in California and that means more encounters between rattlers and humans. So what should we know about snakes? Guest: Emily Taylor, Professor of Biology, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Author of the book “California Snakes and How to Find Them” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since 1951, an extraordinary looking chapel made of wood, glass and stone has been perched close to the edge of the Pacific on Southern California's Palos Verdes Peninsula. Over the decades, countless weddings and other life events have played out at Wayfarers Chapel. But now the building is in danger from shifting geology, and an architectural rescue operation is underway to save it. Guest: Katie Hauck, Architectural Historian A second pro-Palestinian encampment was quickly taken down on Thursday at UCLA. And eight pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo after blocking traffic at one of the school's main entrances. This all came on the same day as when UCLA's chancellor testified on Capitol Hill about antisemitism on college campuses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the last seven years, about 31% of police shootings in Los Angeles involved people who officers believed showed signs of mental illness. Some experts are calling for more de-escalation training for officers, while activists would like to see police removed from such interactions. Reporter: Robert Garrova, LAist Should California doctors be required to report domestic abuse to police? That’s the question at the center of a bill advancing in the state Legislature. Reporter: Ryan Sabalow, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Next month, voters will go to the polls in Mexico to select the country's next president. The election is already historic because the two leading candidates, Claudia Sheinbaum and Xóchitl Gálvez, are women. The election will also be notable because of the likely record number of Mexican citizens living in California and the rest of the U.S. who will cast ballots. Guest: Tony Payan, director of Center for the U.S. and Mexico, Rice University Ousted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s one-time staffer will replace him in Congress, at least for now. In a decisive victory for Assemblymember Vince Fong in a special congressional election, the Associated Press called the race for the Bakersfield Republican just minutes after polls closed in California. Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR The California Supreme Court appears hesitant to strike the state’s Proposition 22, a voter-backed initiative that has allowed gig companies to classify their workers as independent contractors. Justices heard oral arguments in the case on Tuesday. Reporter: Levi Sumagaysay, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Close races in California this year could decide who controls the U.S. House of Representatives. One of those competitive races is District 13, a sprawling area between Stockton and Fresno. Climate change is among voters' top priorities. But some liberal voters say they face an ethical dilemma as they are disillusioned by U.S. support of Israel and may choose not to vote in November. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED The official start date for incrementally increasing the minimum wage to $25 an hour for about 500,000 healthcare workers in California will likely be delayed for at least a month. Los Angeles State Senator Maria Elena Durazo is introducing a bill to start implementing the wage increases on July 1 instead of June 1. This gives Governor Gavin Newsom and lawmakers more time to negotiate the projected costs to the state, which faces a nearly $28 billion dollar budget deficit. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Workers who are cheated on their paychecks often don’t recover the wages they are owed -- even after state regulators rule in their favor. In San Diego County, a first-of-its-kind government program aims to change that. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Academic workers at UC Santa Cruz go on strike on Monday, becoming the first UC campus to do so following a union vote last week. The walkout is in response to what the union calls unfair labor practices at UCLA, UC San Diego, and UC Irvine, where campus leaders called for police to intervene during on-campus protests over the war in Gaza. Reporter: Elena Neale-Sacks, KAZU The California Supreme Court will hear a new challenge to Proposition 22 on Tuesday. That’s the 2020 ballot initiative that classified gig workers as independent contractors. Reporter: Katherine Monahan, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brown pelicans are starving up and down the California coast. The Monterey Bay is a particular hot spot. A wildlife rescue center there has taken in more than a hundred sickened birds over the past month.  Reporter: Alix Soliman, KQED Advocates for a large, self-governed homeless encampment in Sacramento are trying to stop the city from closing it.  Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Proposition 47, California's landmark critical justice reform measure, has received plenty of recent criticism. Many blame Prop 47 for shoplifting, drug use and homelessness in the state -- and are trying to roll it back with a new initiative this fall. But Prop 47 has also resulted in $800 million in state savings, because fewer people are being sent to prison and jail for drug and low-level property crimes under the law.  Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Sonoma State University President Mike Lee has been placed on indefinite leave by Cal State University's Chancellor. It comes a day after Lee reached a divestment agreement with pro-Palestinian student protesters on campus. Reporter: Noah Abrams, KRCB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hospitals across the state were hit hard during the pandemic, which disrupted their operations and chipped away at their finances. Maybe the most glaring example is Madera Community Hospital, which shuttered its doors over financial challenges and filed for bankruptcy in 2022. But one nearby hospital saw record profits, financial investments and executive compensation. Reporter: Omar Sheikh Rashad, Reporter Fresnoland Good news for visitors and residents of Big Sur. Caltrans has completed temporary repairs on Highway 1 over a week ahead of schedule. Storms in late March caused one lane of the highway to fall into the ocean. Reporter: Jerimiah Oetting, KAZU  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California has some of the toughest gun control laws in the nation, but a Democratic state lawmaker says there’s a big loophole for some people deemed mentally ill by a state court - and he wants to fix it. The loophole - while California law prohibits someone from possessing a gun if a court finds them mentally incompetent to face a felony charge, it doesn’t apply to people being prosecuted for a misdemeanor. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office says the state could save up to a billion dollars a year by closing more prisons. This as California faces a budget deficit in the tens of billions. But Governor Gavin Newsom is taking a more cautious approach to trimming prison beds.  Reporter: Nigel Duara, CalMatters  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A multi-billion dollar budget deficit in California is putting organizations across the state at risk. One program facing an uncertain future is Market Match. It works with EBT, or food stamps, to give recipients vouchers they can use at local farmers markets. Reporter: Ava Norgrove, North State Public Radio Governor Gavin Newsom says he has a plan to deal with a staggering $27 billion state deficit next year --without cutting core services or raising taxes. Newsom says California is facing a $56 billion shortfall over the next two years. He wants lawmakers to approve a spending plan that spans those two years. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED An encampment to protest the war in Gaza was set up at the University of California Merced on Sunday. It came after the school held its commencement ceremony over the weekend. Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

State regulators have approved a controversial proposal that will add a monthly charge of $24 to many Californian's electricity bills. But in exchange, utility customers should see reductions in charges per kilowatt hour of electricity used.  As college campus protests continue over Israel's War in Gaza, students at UC Merced are asking the university to refrain from what they say is over-policing.  Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR It’s finally warming up in California. As more bugs come out in the heat, so do bats to feed on them. And one bat species is emerging from hibernation with a new distinction -- the pallid bat is now the official state bat of California. Reporter: Alix Soliman, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the conflict between Israel and Hamas rages on, American protesters are accusing Silicon Valley companies like Intel and Google of complicity in the violence, and urging them to divest. But US tech has been deeply involved with Israeli tech for half a century. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED The California Public Utilities Commission votes Thursday on a controversial flat electricity rate. Regulators say the change would lower bills for many, but critics argue it could do the opposite. Reporter: Alix Soliman, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two years ago, the northern Imperial County town of Niland lost its only post office in a fire. It was supposed to be a temporary closure. But residents are still fighting to get it back. Reporter: Kori Suzuki, KPBS California prison officials say it will cost billions of dollars to enforce new indoor heat regulations that the state’s proposed for workers. But they have declined to share exact cost estimates. Reporter: Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been over a month since California started requiring most fast food employers in the state to pay a minimum wage of $20 dollars an hour -- a big jump from the state’s general minimum wage of $16 dollars. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED News San Francisco State University’s top administrator is promising to provide more transparency about financial ties to Israel … and to explore school divestment. That’s in a public meeting Monday with pro-Palestinian student protesters... who’ve camped out on campus for the past week. Reporter: Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, KQED News  The Shasta County Board of Supervisors is set to meet today to discuss next steps now that the longstanding County Registrar of Voters has retired, but it’s unclear exactly how her position will be filled. Reporter: Alec Stutson, North State Public Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can solutions to California's housing crisis be found in how we used to design and build homes in the past, namely smaller multifamily dwellings in neighborhoods and cities with fewer zoning restrictions. That topic is explored by Los Angeles urban planner Max Podemski. In his new book, A Paradise of Small Houses. I met up with Podemski in the L.A. neighborhood of Eagle Rock. In California, tens of thousands of immigrants with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals will soon be able to get health insurance. That’s after President Joe Biden on Friday announced that those with DACA can enroll in Affordable Care Act coverage. The union representing some 48 thousand academic workers in the UC system is planning to hold a strike authorization vote as early as this week over what they say is the university’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests. The decision to consider striking gained momentum after police action at UCLA that led to more than 200 arrests early last week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As pro-Palestinian student movements persist on college campuses up and down the state, the movement at UC Berkeley has drawn cross-generational support. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald  The Cal Poly Humboldt campus remains closed, even after the arrests of 30 Pro-Palestinian protesters, who took over two university buildings last week. But the student-run radio station is still up and running, thanks to some quick thinking. Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hundreds of law enforcement officers descended on the UCLA campus on Wednesday night, eventually breaking up a large Pro-Palestinian encampment. Dozens of people were taken into custody. Guests: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report and Sergio Olmos, Investigative Reporter, CalMatters While we've been reporting this week about some of the chaotic scenes at UCLA, USC and Cal Poly Humboldt, for the most part, protests on campuses across the state have been peaceful. That includes at UC Santa Cruz, where hundreds of students and faculty gathered on Wednesday, Reporter: Erin Malsbury, KAZU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A large group of counter-protesters tried to tear down barricades that had been surrounding a pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA on Tuesday night. That led to several fights breaking out. The FAIR plan is known as California's home insurance of last resort. But the plan is now the only option for many homeowners, especially in rural communities. Reporter: Scott Rodd, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Protests over the war in Gaza have increased at college campuses across the state. Encampments have now been set up at Sacramento State, San Francisco State, UC Irvine and UC Riverside, along with Occidental College, a liberal arts school in Los Angeles. Student journalists have been covering the events as they unfold on campus. Guests: Dezmond Remington, Reporter, The Lumberjack, Catherine Hamilton, Editor, The Daily Bruin, Aarya Mukherjee, Reporter, The Daily Californian  Members of congress have launched an investigation into a San Diego County-based credit union. This after a KPBS investigation revealed the credit union collects millions of dollars in overdraft fees from young marines every year.  Reporter: Scott Rodd, KPBS A federal program that has helped millions of Californians afford internet expires on Tuesday. The end of the Affordable Connectivity Program will affect a wide swath of Californians. Reporter: Khari Johnson, CalMatters  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the climate crisis changes California’s landscape, the ecosystems in state parks are threatened. At one point, the people in charge of those parks were just preserving the land. But now they’re trying to save the land from climate-driven collapse. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW  Worker advocates are applauding a new federal rule that will make millions more people eligible for overtime pay. But in California, those protections are already stronger. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Israel’s attacks on Gaza have lasted over 200 days and the devastation can be seen around the world. As the war continues, families in the U.S. with Palestinian roots are having to watch the destruction from afar. Many are leaning into their traditions. Reporter: Esther Quintanilla, KVPR   A controversial California housing law is unconstitutional, according to a superior court judge who made the ruling this week. Senate Bill 9 lets homeowners in single family neighborhoods split their lot and build two new homes on each. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Battle lines are being drawn in what could be a huge fight over taxes in California this November. Those fights are playing out on the ballot and in court. The state could be headed for another “tax revolt” like the one that ushered in Proposition 13. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio California lawmakers have reintroduced a bill that would make workers on strike for more than two weeks eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many Californians, the idea of High Speed Rail becoming a reality, is well just an idea. But in Fresno, where one of the first stations will be built, some residents see the rail system as a lifeline. Reporter: Madi Bolanos, The California Report Cal Poly Humboldt has shut down its campus, after students occupied a building on campus. And a protest encampment continues to grow at UC Berkeley, as students voice their concerns about the war in Gaza, and universities investing in companies that benefit Israel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many young parents in Los Angeles, buying a home with enough space for kids is out of reach, and so is renting a family-sized apartment. The makes life challenging for those young couples. Reporter: David Wagner, LAist On Monday, a case about homelessness from Grants Pass in Southern Oregon was argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court is expected to rule before the term ends in June. Reporter: Jane Vaughan, Jefferson Public Radio  A San Francisco lawmaker's bill to allow police to ticket scofflaw robotaxis has passed its first test in the state Legislature. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court is hearing arguments Monday in a case that could have major implications for how cities across the country approach homelessness. This case is called City of Grants Pass, Oregon versus Gloria Johnson. It hinges on whether a local government can issue fines and jail people for camping on public property when there isn't enough shelter available. Reporter: Vanessa Rancano, KQED A proposed state ballot measure to require schools to notify parents if their child is transgender will continue to go by a title supporters say is inaccurate and biased.  Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR State prison officials are increasing pay for tens of thousands of incarcerated workers. But most will still be earning less than one dollar an hour. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LA Woodshop is a woodworking school and maker space in Los Angeles. It offers classes, bench space, custom furniture, and an events space, for both novice and experienced woodworkers. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Governor Gavin Newsom has announced plans to crack down on cities that don’t make progress towards reducing homelessness — this on the heels of a scathing audit that found the state doesn’t know where billions in spending is going. Newsom said he plans to establish a new team that will oversee how local communities use homelessness funding. Reporter: Vanessa Rancano, KQED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a new study out that takes a demographic and socioeconomic snapshot of African-Americans in the Golden State. It's called the state of Black California. Despite gains in the quality of life for Black Californians over a 20-year period, the study found that racial inequality continues to persist compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Guest: Michael Stoll, Professor of Public Policy, UCLA A bill that would give California cities and counties the ability to regulate robotaxi services has passed its first test in the Legislature – despite doubts expressed by some lawmakers.  Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In most California counties, the sheriff also oversees the coroner’s office. But in Riverside County, families whose loved ones have died in local jails say that's a conflict of interest — and they want to change the system. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR This week, US Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler announced legislation to create a new national monument on the north edge of the Salton Sea, east of Palm Springs. Supporters say the land is especially important to communities of color. Reporter: Kori Suzuki, KPBS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California requires student health centers at public universities to offer the abortion pill. But how much students pay for the medication differs dramatically campus by campus, from nothing to several hundred dollars. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, LAist Democratic state lawmakers are pushing to put a $10 billion affordable housing bond on California’s November ballot. Supporters say it could lead to thousands of affordable housing units being finished. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio

Suspending or expelling children from preschool for challenging behavior is surprisingly common. And it happens way more often to Black children, boys, and kids with learning differences than others. A California law restricts the practice at state-funded early education programs, but implementing the law has been hard because of long-lasting impacts of the pandemic – like staffing shortages and learning loss. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED Two San Diego environmental groups are suing the federal government in an effort to stop cross border sewage flows that endanger the environment and public health.  Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS

We're nearing the deadline to file taxes. While the task may seem daunting, especially for people who can’t afford an accountant, a group of high school students in Central California want to help fix that problem. Reporter: Billy Cruz, The California Report Fewer than one in five people in California could afford to buy the median priced home last year. That’s according to a new report from the California Association of Realtors.  Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED  The city of Stockton has settled a wrongful death suit with the family of a man who died after being held face down by police in 2020. Reporter: Emily Zentner, The California Newsroom 

Last year was one of the deadliest on record for migrants. Tougher enforcement is pushing some to try swimming around the wall along the southern border. And that's prompted lifeguards on both sides of the border to respond. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS The pollutants from venting and flaring at oil and gas facilities in California are leading to 13 deaths a year, and worsen asthma in 1,800 children. A new study shows Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Kern counties suffer the worst outcomes, and low income communities are disproportionately affected. Reporter: Kristel Jandra, KQED

The warnings go back nearly 30 years. As soon as a person is handcuffed, get them off their stomach. So says a Department of Justice bulletin from 1995. Yet, people in California continue to die after being held face down by law enforcement. Reporter: Emily Zentner, California Newsroom California doesn’t know if its efforts to address homelessness are working — despite billions of dollars spent to address the crisis. That’s according to a state audit released Tuesday. Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED 

National parks have been called “America’s best idea.” But a recent study says these parks are increasingly threatened by human-caused air pollution. The parks with the biggest risk are all here in California. Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR Shuttered Madera Community Hospital has cleared yet another hurdle in the path to reopening. It’s been approved for a $57 million interest-free loan. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR A community in Red Bluff was recently notified that their water had high concentrations of chemicals called PFAS. Data shows that the site has had high levels of contamination for several years. Reporter: Justin Higginbottom, Jefferson Public Radio

Proposition 47, a criminal justice reform passed by California voters in 2014, has been controversial from the beginning, and now critics of the law are pushing a ballot measure that would roll back some of its key provisions. Guest: Marisa Largos, KQED A state agency wants to spend millions of dollars to tell students abortion pills are available on campus, this after an LAist investigation found many public universities are failing to do so. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, LAist

A federal judge has ruled that the U-S government is responsible for the safety and welfare of young people who’ve gathered in encampments on the California side of the US-Mexico border. Uprooted from Oakland, the Athletics are headed to Sacramento starting next season. The team will share a 10,000 seat minor-league ballpark with its primary tenant, the Sacramento River Cats, for at least three seasons, while their permanent stadium in Las Vegas is under construction. In Kern County, wildflower season is in full swing. Permitted volunteers are spreading out across the Indian Wells Valley to pick as many flower species as possible. Those will be displayed all in one room for the nearby Maturango Museum’s annual wildflower exhibit.

The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History has a new specimen on display. A fossilized bone from a giant creature never before found along the Central Coast. The fossil is at least 11,000 years old and was discovered by some very early career scientists. Reporter: Jerimiah Oetting, KAZU  California is home to the western drywood termite. Fumigation is the most common method to kill this pest. That’s when a home is wrapped in a brightly colored tent and pumped full of the pesticide, SO2F2. But the chemical is a far more potent greenhouse gas than previously known. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED

State water officials say the last snow survey of the season on Tuesday revealed good news for the millions of Californians and farms who rely on snowmelt. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED LA County authorities have a new strategy to help curb gun violence. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, LAist A parcel of land along the Northern California coast is being restored by the Yurok tribe, who is returning the property to nature. The land has been returned to the tribe in a first of its kind deal – in partnership with the National Park Service and California State Parks. Reporter: Alec Stutson, North State Public Radio 

Ongoing construction of a new border wall threatened to destroy hundreds of murals that decorate the Tijuana side.  But now, a group of activists has found a way to save some of them.  Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS After promising to put 200 Black workers in government jobs by this June, the city of Los Angeles has found jobs for fewer than 50 workers. Participants of the program say the application process for city jobs is often months long. And at the same time as this hiring effort, LA is facing a nearly $300 million budget deficit. Reporter: Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, CalMatters

It was hailed as the official end of single-family zoning in California and decried as a threat to suburban neighborhoods.  But two years later, Senate Bill 9 has done little to add new housing, despite a desperate need for it. But a growing number of developers have emerged with an offer: cash for your backyard. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED Nearly 500,000 fast food workers in California start earning at least $20 an hour on Monday. But some restaurants have already started laying people off in response to the change. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero , KQED

On Grand Avenue in Oakland, musicians are keeping an almost century-old institution alive and thriving. Longtime piano bar The Alley brings in customers old and new, who find comfort in their surroundings.  Reporter: Katherine Monahan, KQED State utility regulators have released a proposed plan to reduce the cost of residential electricity for lower income Californians.  Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED

A mass shooting at a pair of mushroom farms in a coastal town south of San Francisco last year exposed the deplorable conditions workers lived in. Now the city of Half Moon Bay is preparing to break ground on permanent farmworker housing.  Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED California legislators are out for their spring recess. But discussions about their bills are still happening outside of Sacramento committee rooms. One of the most talked about is a bill aimed at curbing retail theft. Reporter: Lynn La, CalMatters

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. named a wealthy tech attorney as his running mate at a rally in Oakland Tuesday. 38-year old Nicole Shanahan is also an investor and philanthropist. She was previously married to the co-founder of Google. Reporter: Annelise Finney, KQED For years, San Diego County residents living near the US-Mexico border have had to deal with polluted ocean water. That's forced the months long closure of beaches and regular episodes of a terrible outdoor stench that's affected people's health. Guest: MacKenzie Elmer, Voice of San Diego 

As more Californians have fallen into homelessness more have died on the streets — but just how many, nobody knows. That’s starting to change. Spurred in part by the efforts of a few counties, the state recently began taking steps to collect this data. Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED A case that could limit access to the abortion pill will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday. Anti-abortion rights groups sued the Food and Drug Administration over rules that expanded access to abortion pill mifepristone. It’s part of a two-drug regimen used in most medication abortions. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, LAist

When you think about what causes air pollution in California, cars and factories probably come to mind. But what about ports? For instance, the Port of Los Angeles and the neighboring Port of Long Beach, when combined, are the single largest source of pollution in Southern California. But change is afoot. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Earlier this month, thousands of employees were laid-off off by one of the country’s largest stone fruit producers, which operates in central California. The Prima Wawona layoffs are part of a decades-long shift in farm work. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR

In Downtown Oakland, a pop-up event called couchdate is making room for artists and music lovers to hang out, play and connect with one another.  Reporter: Ariana Proehl, KQED Worker safety advocates are outraged that Governor Newsom’s administration may delay the implementation of new rules to protect indoor workers from heat illness. California’s deadline to adopt indoor heat regulations was five years ago. But just hours before the vote, news broke that the state Department of Finance declined to sign off Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

A proposal from Governor Gavin Newsom to build housing and mental health treatment beds for Californians experiencing homelessness was narrowly approved by California voters. Proposition 1 allows the state to borrow nearly $6.4 billion to build treatment facilities and supportive housing. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED  Venues including fast food chains in airports, hotels and convention centers will be exempt from paying a new state-mandated $20 minimum wage to fast food workers.  That’s thanks to a bill California lawmakers passed earlier this week. Reporter: Olivia Zhao, CalMatters A new report from UCLA researchers finds that nail salon workers are being misclassified as independent contractors and missing out on pay and benefits. Reporter: Josie Huang, LAist A new affordable housing community with an innovative design opened in South Sacramento this week. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio The calendar has been saying March for 21 days, but the main event -- March Madness -- starts Thursday. Five women's teams from California made it this year. Reporter: Ethan Toven-Lindsey, KQED

The National Association of Realtors, one of the most powerful real estate groups in the country, announced on Friday it would settle a major class-action lawsuit that had accused the group of artificially inflating the commissions its agents make in home sales. The settlement is seen as a seismic shift in the real estate market. Guest: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED In the wake of multiple massive wildfires, some property insurance companies have severely raised their rates, or withdrawn from California altogether. A new proposal would create a method of calculating rates aimed at both bringing back those companies and creating more affordable policies.  Reporter: Alec Stutson, North State Public Radio

The margin is still too close to call between Yes and No votes on Governor Newsom’s Proposition 1 mental health ballot measure. So close that opponents of the measure, who had previously conceded the race, have now withdrawn their concession. Reporter: Olivia Zhao, CalMatters Huntington Beach officials are considering privatizing the city’s library system at Tuesday's city council meeting. The discussion about privatization comes amid fierce debates over content and control over the city's library system. Reporter: Elly Yu, LA-ist A years-old chemical reaction beneath the surface of one of LA County’s largest landfills has turned into a toxic headache for the tens of thousands of people living nearby. Air quality officials have slapped the privately-owned Chiquita Canyon landfill near Castaic with more than 130 legal violations, but fixing the problem won't be easy. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW

Not paying someone for a job they did is illegal. It’s called wage theft. But a KQED investigation found California regulators have failed to force the worst offender they cited in the state, to pay more than a tiny fraction of the millions of dollars in wages that he owes. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

Can California Legislate Its Way to Happiness? The newly formed Select Committee on Happiness and Public Policy Outcomes had its first meeting this week to explore the topic of 'happiness.' Lynn La, CalMatters Indian Students Lead Way for Increase in International Students in United States India's U.S. consular team issued over 140,000 student visas last year, more than any other country in the world. California remains a top destination for these students. But what is life like when they get here? Madi Bolanos, The California Report

Humanitarian Parole Program Can Continue An Oakland man is breathing easier… after a program that protects a Nicaraguan friend survived a court challenge by several Republican-led states. But with a notice of appeal filed this week, his relief could be short lived. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Senior Immigration Editor People Incarcerated at San Quentin Graduate from Coding Program Roughly 50 people incarcerated at San Quentin are now one step closer to getting a career out of prison. That’s through a program that gives job training in skills like coding and audio production to prisoners. Billy Cruz, KQED

Opponents of Proposition 1 are conceding that the state ballot measure -- aimed at housing Californians with severe mental illness -- is likely to pass. That result will allow the state to borrow money and shift existing mental health dollars toward building residential treatment facilities and affordable housing.  Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Assembly member Vince Fong is the top vote-getter in the race to replace Kevin McCarthy. That means he’ll advance to the general election in November. But a special election for the same seat still needs to be decided. Reporter: Joshua Yeager. KVPR When a recruit enters boot camp, the Marine Corps controls virtually all aspects of their life...including, for many, where they bank. An investigation from KPBS in San Diego uncovered how the Marine Corps systematically enrolls thousands of new recruits each year into Oceanside-based Frontwave Credit Union. Reporter: Scott Rodd, KPBS

When the Biden administration opened a new immigration court in the Bay Area city of Concord last month… it was part of an effort to cope with a nationwide backlog of more than 3 million cases. But a new spending deal just reached in Congress actually cuts the court budget. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Water is a key ingredient in brewing beer, along with hops and barley, but you rarely see it mentioned on labels. One Napa Valley craft brewer goes to extremes to source water from wells and springs throughout the region to use for different beers. Reporter: Tina Caputo

Why We Keep Springing Forward Way back in November 2018, California voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 7, a measure that was supposed to keep us from having to adjust our clocks twice a year for daylight saving time. So why did we still have to “Spring forward”? Reporter: Oliva Zhao, CalMatters In Trinity County, A Key Victory for the LandBack Movement The Nor Rel Muk Wintu people in Trinity County finally have their own land. That includes 78 acres from an anonymous donor inspired by the LandBack movement.Some members hope it will help the tribe win federal recognition. Reporter: Jamie Jiang, North State Public Radio 

In California, young people who could vote, and are even registered, just aren’t doing it in big numbers. Tuesday’s primary election was no exception. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald  In his State of the Union address, President Biden addressed his push for a secure border, and how he’s been blocked by Republicans. California U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, a strong supporter of immigration reform, invited a guest who highlighted a different side of immigration. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED The federal government has announced $72 million will be spent on connecting Tribal communities, including some in California, with reliable, renewable energy. The Yurok Tribe, whose reservation lands are located in and around Humboldt County, is one of the four tribes in California that received a part of this funding. Reporter: Manola Secaira, CapRadio

Death Valley is normally known for its extreme heat. But this winter, rain and winds pushed tons of water into the area, creating a lake locals grew to call "Lake Manly." People could kayak and wade out. But the lake has begun to dry up and boating is now suspended there. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report One of the most expensive state races has been waged in state Senate District 25 which spans from Glendale to Rancho Cucamonga east of L.A.  More than $5 million has flowed into the race – much of it coming from one of the candidates. Reporter: Josie Huang, LAist

In the U.S. Senate race to fill the seat once held by the late Dianne Feinstein, Democrat and L..A area Congressman Adam Schiff and Republican and former pro baseball player Steve Garvey will advance to the November general election. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED  The result of California's only statewide ballot measure -- Proposition 1 -- is still too close to call. Latest results show just over 50% of voters supporting the measure aimed at housing more Californians with mental health and addiction problems. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED

Polling places are open in California, as local and statewide races are on the ballot. Two of the biggest races -- the U.S. Senate seat that had long been held by the late Dianne Feinstein and Proposition 1, a proposal dealing with mental health and homelessness.   The cold winter storm and blizzard conditions that complicated mountain travel and closed ski resorts in the Sierra this past weekend also significantly boosted California’s snowpack and the state’s water supply. Last week, the snowpack was at 80% of average. It’s now 104%, a massive increase from just one storm. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED Do you ever think you'll never get your foot into the door of California's residential real estate market? Well, applications open in early April for a state program that could help you buy your first home in California. It's called the California Dream for All Shared Appreciation loan. And when it first launched last year, it was so popular it exhausted its $300 million in funding in the first 11 days. Guest: Erin Baldassari, KQED

In recent years, traffic fatalities have remained stubbornly high across California despite efforts to reduce them. That’s especially true in Los Angeles where last year, more than 330 people -- drivers, pedestrians and cyclists -- were killed in collisions, a number higher than the city’s homicide rate. In response to the toll, L.A. voters are voting this election on a ballot measure that’s supposed to make the city’s streets safer. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Several feet of snow fell in higher elevations in the Sierra Nevada over the weekend. The blizzard closed many businesses and shut down I-80.  

Amid California’s housing crisis, a group of mobile home park residents in Fresno County have done something that might seem impossible. They purchased their park from their corporate landlord, securing stable affordable housing for themselves. But the road to get there wasn't easy. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California Report Communities in the Sierra Foothills are preparing for several more feet of snow over the next two days. This week's blizzard will also bring extremely high wind gusts. Local residents and businesses have been busy preparing for what's to come. Reporter: Sophia Holm, KUNR

A blizzard warning is in effect through much of the Sierra foothills through the weekend. The National Weather Service says some higher elevations could see as much as ten feet of snow. Ski resorts in Lake Tahoe are preparing for dangerous conditions on the mountains. Reporter: Billy Cruz, The California Report Voting in California’s primary election doesn’t end until Tuesday night. But election officials are getting worried about low levels of voter turnout.  Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED

When Fresno County voters go to the polls next week, they will be asked to choose whether local officials should have more control over naming. And re-naming things like towns, cities, and street names. Reporter: Billy Cruz, The California Report San Diego County shut down its migrant welcome center last week . That means border officials will continue to drop migrants off on San Diego streets. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for the greater Tahoe region and much of the Sierra from Thursday morning until Sunday.  Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED  When you’re voting for a candidate running for state office, like a state legislator or the governor, you can evaluate them based on their voting record, policy positions and more. But finding information on candidates for local judge seats can be trickier. Reporter: Olivia Zhao, CalMatters

Californians will head to the polls on March 5 to vote in the presidential primary. While there's only one statewide measure on the ballot, voters will have plenty else to ponder. Guest: Guy Marzorati, KQED Politics Correspondent In Shasta County, a citizens commission created by right-wing politicians is recommending that county officials violate state law by hand-counting election ballots.  Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio

Proposition 1 would allow the state to issue more than $6 billion in bonds, for supportive housing and residential treatment facilities for people experiencing homelessness and mental illness. But local governments are eyeing the measure through a different lens, and what may be impacted locally. Reporters: Elena Neale-Sacks, KAZU and Erik Adams, North State Public Radio Prop 1 isn't the first ballot measure that's tried to help Californians who live in that overlap between homelessness and mental illness. In 2018, voters passed No Place Like Home, a proposition that committed to building thousands of affordable housing units for homeless residents experiencing mental health issues. But a new investigation from CalMatters shows it delivered only a fraction of what proponents promised. Guest: Marisa Kendall, Reporter CalMatters 

The Rogue Festival in Fresno’s Tower District showcases local talent through improv, comedy and storytelling. This year the festival will host nearly 200 performances over the course of two weekends.  One of them is a performance of the novel Latehomecomer by Hmong American author Kao Kalia Yang. Guest: Jasmine Vang, Hmong American Actor  The Sierra is glittering white. Over the last week, recent storms have added up to four feet of snow to the mountain range. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED

There’s a nasty virus spreading through the U.S.  We’re not talking about COVID and we’re not even talking about humans. Avian influenza or bird flu has affected millions of birds across the country, including here in California.  And in the Central Valley, farmers have been set back months due to the loss of flock and eggs. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR The push for California to provide reparations for Black Californians is taking shape at the state capitol. Members of the legislature's Black Caucus have chosen 14 reparations bills to prioritize this year. Those range from a formal apology on behalf of California lawmakers who supported slavery, to limits on solitary confinement in state prisons. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED 

In the heart of California’s oil country, Kern County, more than 16,000 people work in the petroleum industry. Many of their jobs will likely disappear over the next two decades, as the state phases out oil drilling. Slashing fossil fuel emissions is part of California’s plan to combat climate change. That plan also includes burying carbon deep beneath the ground. Kern County is betting on the carbon management industry to create thousands of jobs in the region. But it's unclear if that will actually come to fruition. Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR California’s budget deficit has grown to $73 billion. That’s larger than a previous projection of $68 billion. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio The Supreme Court has dealt a blow to California landlords when it declined to take up a pair of cases with implications for rent control and eviction moratoriums. The cases , from New York and Seattle,  argued the policies violate landlords’ property rights. Reporter: Vanessa Rancano, KQED

California landlords would be required to accept pets under first-of-its-kind legislation introduced this month. The bill by San Francisco Assemblymember Matt Haney would also ban property owners from asking about pets on applications, limit pet deposits, and prohibit “pet rent” — additional monthly fees for pets. Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED A new UCSF study shows that midwives can face extra obstacles operating in California, especially when they’re trying to serve some of the state’s lowest-income families.  Reporter: Kristen Hwang, CalMatters 

Some Sacramento organizations prepare people from underrepresented communities to serve in public office. That includes Nueva Epoca, which is designed to empower Latinos. Reporter: Kristin Lam, CapRadio In Temecula Valley, teachers and parents who sued the school board over a ban on critical race theory and a transgender notification policy can move forward with their case. A Riverside County Superior Court judge denied the district’s request to dismiss it.  Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR

Advocates for letting public universities in California hire undocumented students, who don’t have federal work authorization, have gotten a boost from Sacramento. A new proposal would let all students work, regardless of immigration status, in the UC, CSU and state community college systems. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED We’ve been exploring the crisis of loneliness among Californians and finding community. We turn to the topic of friendship as one all important remedy to social isolation. Guest: Rhaina Cohen, journalist and author of the book “The Other Significant Others” 

Roughly a quarter of California’s greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings, including your home. That’s why the federal government wants to give homeowners money to replace gas appliances, install solar panels and replace your windows with more efficient ones. Some developers are taking low-carbon retrofits a step further, creating zero-carbon homes. Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW It’s a challenge confronting some renters in California. They want to buy an electric vehicle, but they don’t have a place to plug it in where they live. In response, Assemblyman Kevin McCarty has introduced a bill aimed at increasing access to EV charging for people who live in multi-unit housing and without garage access.  Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED 

America's growing culture wars can be seen in local politics across the state. That includes in the Orange County city of Huntington Beach, where a conservative majority on the city council has rolled back several progressive initiatives. And in March, a highly contentious measure is on the ballot. It’s a city charter amendment titled Measure 1 that if passed, would require Huntington Beach residents to show official identification when voting in-person. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report A Fresno judge has approved a plan to reopen bankrupt Madera Community Hospital, which has been closed for more than a year. That’s despite a reopening bid from UC San Francisco announced last week. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR

Prop 47 is a 2014 ballot measure that lowered the penalties for drug possession and shoplifting from felonies to misdemeanors. Retailers and prosecutors are collecting signatures for a November ballot measure that would roll back some portions of the law. And lawmakers have introduced more than a dozen bills to tweak it in some way or another. But what have the impacts of the measure been? Guest: Maris Lagos, KQED California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has promised sweeping changes to try to fix the state’s insurance market and convince companies to offer more coverage. Now, he’s released proposed rule updates.  Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED

A new immigration court opens in the Bay Area Monday. It’s part of an effort by the Biden Administration to cope with a record number of asylum seekers – and a historic backlog of 3 million cases nationwide. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Cal State faculty members start voting Monday on a deal that could raise wages and add more paid parental leave. But some CSU employees say it falls short of what their union is demanding. Reporter: Mariana Dale, LAist

Fast food workers are officially launching a new statewide union on Friday. This comes weeks before a new law will raise the industry’s minimum wage to $20 an hour and create a statewide Fast Food Council. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Programs dedicated to the well-being of California’s youngest residents are facing major cutbacks. That’s because a ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products sharply lowered revenue that’s supposed to fund First 5 California and the early childhood services it supports.  Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED The San Francisco 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl this weekend in Las Vegas That means thousands of Niners fans are flocking to Sin City to celebrate, and one dedicated fan is hoping to welcome them all. She started a 49ers booster club in Las Vegas.  Guest: Susan Larson, North Vegas Faithfuls 

Decades ago, the homes in a Palm Springs neighborhood known as Section 14 were deemed eyesores and officials wanted to promote tourism. So they forced out the mostly black and brown families who lived there. Crews tore down everyone’s homes, and then burned them, sometimes with people’s personal possessions still inside. The city made a public apology in 2021, but survivors are still waiting for additional support. Guests: Pearl Devers, Section 14 Survivor and Areva Martin, Civil Rights Attorney A Popeyes Chicken franchisee is paying more than $200,000 for child labor and other violations at restaurants in East Oakland, Newark and Tracy. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED 

COVID eviction protections have lapsed for renters in the city of Los Angeles. Now, city outreach workers are going door-to-door,  hoping to catch renters before they’re evicted. And they’re using new data to find those most in need of help. Reporter: David Wagner, LAist  Fresno is the latest city in California to find itself on the receiving end of a bus full of asylum seekers. They were sent from Texas, victims of Governor Greg Abbott’s immigration battle with the Biden administration. Reporter: Esther Quintanilla, KVPR

Rain continues to fall in Southern California, which has been drenched in this latest atmospheric river. Downtown Los Angeles has seen more than seven inches of rain the last 48 hours, one of the highest two day rain totals on record.   A California law that went into effect last January said public universities have to provide medication abortions. An LAist investigation has found a patchwork of approaches to communicating that abortion pills are now available. Advocates say that’s hurting access.  Reporter: Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, LAist

Much of the worst of the latest atmospheric river has passed through Northern California. But areas of Southern California continue to be hit with heavy rain and threats of flash flooding. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report California’s public universities are required to provide abortion pills to students who want them. But LAist found few universities tell students the medication is available. The lack of information caused one student weeks of anguish. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, LAist

There are more than 1.2 million people incarcerated in the U.S. And there are also a lot of mothers out there, living with the guilt, shame and loneliness that comes with having a child in prison. In Sacramento, one mom is turning that pain into support. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California Report A job fair was held this week for workers laid off by a Fresno-based agricultural company. Prima Wawona, which grows and packages peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots, filed for bankruptcy in October. A few weeks ago, it warned its employees they’d all be laid off in March. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR One of the mushroom farms where a mass shooting took place in Half Moon Bay a year ago has paid more than $126,000 to federal regulators. The U.S. Department of Labor says that California Terra Garden paid $84,000 in back wages for dozens of workers, and more than $42,000 in penalties. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED  

Last year, the Biden administration introduced a mobile app called CBP One. The idea was that it would help streamline the asylum process for the government agencies and the asylum seekers. But the initial version of the app was riddled with errors. While things have improved, asylum seekers are still facing challenges with the app. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS California’s new oil industry watchdog is recommending reforms to prevent spikes in gas prices at the pump.  Tai Milder heads the watchdog agency. He says the state should publish a market price report and require refineries to store a minimum amount of reserve gas. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED 

On Thursday, the City of Los Angeles ends renter protections that were implemented during the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. That means tenants need to start paying back the back rent they owe to their landlords. Also, the city will start allowing rent increases in units covered through its rent stabilization program. That means some tenants who live in rent-stabilized apartments will have their rents raised for the first time in four years. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report A new report says state corrections officials have used inappropriate tactics to reduce a backlog of staff misconduct cases. When a person held in a state prison files a complaint alleging staff misconduct, it’s supposed to go to the Department of corrections’ s Office of Internal Affairs or trained investigators. But a report by the state inspector general says prison officials dealt with a backlog by reclassifying hundreds of complaints as routine grievances. Reporter: Alex Hall, KQED  A bill that would let state legislators shield their property holdings from disclosure forms is advancing in the Legislature this week.   Reporter: Alexei Koseff, CalMatters

For the past two years, undocumented students at the University of California have campaigned to be allowed to work on campus. They argued that they were missing out on opportunities to work with professors and in labs, which could further their academic careers. But last week, UC Regents voted to halt a plan that would have allowed the university to hire them. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California Report The federal government is awarding California $600 million to fight homelessness. The funding represents a 14% increase over last year’s allocation to the state. Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED  A 2023 law made it legal for DACA recipients to become police officers in California. But a new investigation from CalMatters shows, uptake has been slow across the state.  Reporter: Justo Robles, CalMatters

The San Francisco 49ers are NFC Champions and heading to the franchise’s 8th Super Bowl. They defeated the Detroit Lions 34-31, after trailing by double digits at halftime. Reporter: Christopher Alam, KQED Journalism in Los Angeles and the entire state of California was hit with a major blow this past week. The L.A. Times laid off more than 100 journalists in its newsroom. The cuts come at a time when journalism will play a vital role in informing the public about the upcoming 2024 election. Guest: Margaret Sullivan, executive director of the Newmark Center for Journalism, Ethics and Society at Columbia University Mental health counselors gained some wins in the tentative agreement between the California Faculty Association and Cal State University management. CSU said they'll make an effort to boost the ratio of counselors to students. Reporter: Yusra Farzan, LAist

We continue our series on social isolation and the search for community in California.  One place where it can be very difficult to find community is L.A.'s Skid Row neighborhood, where many people live on the streets in squalor, as they also battle mental health and addiction problems. But the Skid Row Running Club has been a place where people can find friendship while also getting healthier.  Guest: Jeremy Price, Skid Row Running Club University of California Regents voted to suspend work on a proposal that would have allowed the university to hire students who don't qualify for federal work authorizations like the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.  Reporter: Madi Bolanos, The California Report  According to the latest numbers, more than 350, 000 Californians now get their fire insurance through California’s FAIR Plan. The number of FAIR policyholders has nearly tripled over the last five years. So why the increase? Reporter: Levi Sumagaysay, CalMatters

Three years ago, the Creek Fire was finally contained.  It remains California’s fifth largest blaze, after destroying nearly 400,000 acres and hundreds of homes in the Sierra Nevada east of Fresno. The three years since have been a time of healing and recovery – especially for those involved in a high-stakes rescue the first weekend of the blaze. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR  California has been closing prisons to save money. But the state’s spending 90% more per year on each prisoner kept locked up than it was a decade ago. That’s according to a new analysis from CalMatters.  Reporter: Nigel Duara, CalMatters

A corner store in Los Angeles’ Skid Row neighborhood, that’s a crossroads of community life, is being sold. But instead of letting it get snatched up by the highest bidder, the Korean American family that runs the market has worked out a deal with a Black-led nonprofit. The move serves as a small step toward healing historic racial tensions in LA. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW  A big blow to journalism in Los Angeles, as the LA Times has cut about 20% of its newsroom. The paper's Washington bureau and sports and photography departments saw big cuts. And several journalists of color were also impacted. Reporter: Yusra Farzan, LAist

Cal State faculty have called off a strike, after a tentative labor agreement was reached Monday night. Faculty had been scheduled to be off the job this entire week. The three Democrats vying to represent California in the U.S. Senate went after the only Republican on stage at Monday’s debate -- and clashed over the war between Israel and Hamas.  Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED  Many in Half Moon Bay are gathering Tuesday to commemorate the first anniversary of the mass shooting that killed seven farmworkers in the community south of San Francisco. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero A controversial school board president in the Riverside County community of Temecula will face a recall election this spring. A group opposed to his conservative agenda collected enough signatures to force a vote. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR

In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a New York law that required people to show a need for carrying a gun when applying for a permit to carry a concealed weapon. California’s law was similar to that one. Now to get a concealed carry weapons permit, students receive 16 hours of classroom instruction in gun rules and regulations and then time on the firing range. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Monday is the first day of the spring semester for most California State University campuses. But instead of teaching classes, tens of thousands of CSU faculty members from all 23 schools are on strike this week. Reporter: Juan Carlos Lara, KQED

As we age, our social networks tend to shrink, leaving us feeling disconnected from the world around us. And that can take a toll on someone’s mental health. But recent studies have shown this feeling of loneliness is also linked to an increased risk for heart disease, dementia and early death in older adults. That’s why a coalition here in California is working to change the way we address aging, by bridging the gap between health and social care. Reporter: Madi Bolanos, The California Report California lawmakers are considering a bill that would ban investor-owned utilities from passing lobbying costs on to customers. The bill follows a Sacramento Bee investigation that found SoCalGas spent millions lobbying against the state’s clean energy policies, and had ratepayers pick up the tab. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED 

The Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office has pulled down a public service announcement from its website warning residents about the painkiller fentanyl. This comes after the California Newsroom inquired about the accuracy of the events depicted. Reporter: Brian Krans, The California Newsroom A new poll finds most California voters do not feel that U.S. borders are effective at keeping people from entering the country illegally. Registered Republicans overwhelmingly say the border’s not secure, unauthorized immigrants are a major burden and asylum laws are too lenient. But California Democrats are deeply divided on those questions. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

During the COVID pandemic, ridership on California’s public transit systems plummeted.  Now, ridership levels for one agency – Los Angeles Metro – are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, but there are still big concerns about quality of service, safety and how to deal with drug abuse and homelessness on subways, buses and light rail. The transportation agency is trying to deal with those concerns by putting a friendly face on mass transit. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report

Kern County in the rural San Joaquin Valley is facing what one leader calls an existential threat. The county is the largest oil producer in California, but the state wants to eliminate drilling by 2045. As a result, Kern is looking to a new industry – carbon capture and storage – to secure its future.  hopes the industry will provide jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenue, while helping the state meet its climate goals. Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR Environmental groups have successfully pushed for a ‘green terminal’ strategy at the Port of Humboldt outside Eureka. The terminal is where giant offshore wind turbines will be built. Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio 

Millions of Mexicans living in the United States are eligible to vote in Mexico’s upcoming presidential elections. Some experts are calling it the most important election in Mexican history. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS Camp Fire survivors now have until April of 2025 to live in trailers full-time on their properties in the town of Paradise. That’s after the Town Council voted to allow RV living for another year. Reporter: Jamie Jiang, North State Public Radio

Last year the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory, calling attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country. So how did we get to this point?  Guest: Dr. Carla Perissinotto, Geriatrician, UCSF The Biden administration is awarding California $168 million for clean vehicle charging infrastructure. Grants will fund projects across the state, from truck charging stations along freight routes in the Inland Empire, to public vehicle charging facilities in low-income communities in Contra Costa County. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED 

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office has identified the man who died in an avalanche at Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort on Wednesday as 66-year-old Kenneth Kidd. One other person was buried and injured; two other skiers were caught up in the avalanche but rescued. California is facing a nearly $38 billion budget shortfall, but to hear Governor Gavin Newsom tell it, things aren’t too dire. As he rolled out his proposed spending plan on Wednesday, Newsom framed the shortfall as a return to normal of sorts: After several years of unusual spikes in capital gains, sales and corporate tax revenues, driven by low interest rates and historic federal pandemic aid,  things are leveling off.  Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED  As Senate negotiators struggle to hammer out a deal in Washington, trading tougher asylum rules for more aid to Ukraine and Israel, California Senator Alex Padilla says more border restrictions are not the best way to manage the migration crisis.  Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

If we're spending tens of billions of dollars fighting homelessness, why isn't the problem getting better? An investigation by KCRW and The California Newsroom looked at the massive failures of one major recipient of Governor Gavin Newsom's Homekey program. That's his administration's big effort to turn buildings like hotels and motels into low income housing, which has cost more than $3 billion since it launched in 2020. Guest: Anna Scott, Reporter KCRW Governor Newsom is expected to release the state’s spending plan on Wednesday morning. This comes as the state is dealing with a $68 billion shortfall. Reporter: Billy Cruz, The California Report

Governor Newsom has officially ordered a special election on March 19 to fill the seat vacated by former Congressman Kevin McCarthy. The district will see up to four different ballots to determine who will serve the remainder of McCarthy’s term and who will succeed him in Congress. Meanwhile, California lawmakers want to clean up state election law after a judge ruled that a Republican candidate can run for both Congress and the Assembly this year.  Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio   A suite of options to allow psychedelic use in California could soon be on the table, including regulated therapies. As officials wrestle with what comes next, the state recently cleared advocates to collect signatures for a statewide decriminalization vote as a ballot measure in November. Reporter: Anna Marie Yanny, KQED

People are still struggling to find a place to live years after devastating wildfires ripped through Butte County.  In the remote town of Berry Creek, many are living in RVs on the lots where houses once stood. But they face deadlines to rebuild their homes or move. Reporter: Jamie Jiang, North State Public Radio  Doctors are bracing for more COVID patients as people return to school and work after the holiday break. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, LAist

In the 20th century, the last California gray wolf was observed in the 1920s, but that changed in 2011 with the sighting of a wolf who had crossed into California from Oregon.  Now, a small but growing population of wolves have reestablished themselves in the state. Reporter: Jordan Traverso, California Department of Fish and Wildlife A parents rights group says it plans to sue Attorney General Rob Bonta because of how his office titled and summarized an initiative the group hopes to get on the ballot. The proposal from the group Protect Kids California would prohibit gender-affirming care for minors, exclude trans girls from girls competitive sports, and require schools to disclose a students’ gender identity to their parents. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio

Passions over war in the Middle East have spilled into where many of us work. So as an employee, what rights do you have to share your opinions or protest on the job? Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED In Sacramento, state legislators ended their first session of the year early Wednesday, after hundreds of Israel-Hamas war protesters broke out into songs and chants in the Assembly chamber. Reporter: Sameea Kamal, CalMatters

Federal regulators are investigating Kaiser Permanente for how it treats women with postpartum depression. The health provider has twice revised its guidelines to make it easier for women to get a new drug that targets the condition. These developments are the result of a KQED investigation that first revealed Kaiser's restrictions on postpartum care. Guest: April Dembosky, KQED State surveyors have measured the snowpack near Lake Tahoe, and found only a small amount of snow compared to this time last year.  Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED

Hundreds of new laws have gone into effect with the beginning of the new year. They affect everything from workplaces, to crime and health care. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report

In our state, we see the effects of climate change around us seemingly every day - storms, flooding, wildfires, extreme heat waves. Such events are changing the landscape and feeling of California and making a lot of us worried. So how do we handle the anxiety and even the grief that stem from climate change?  Guest: Erica Hellerstein, Investigative Reporter  

The state of California has been experimenting with ways to make it easier for residents to enjoy our state parks and beaches. A pilot program that allows Californians to visit many state parks for free — after checking out a pass from their local library — is helping increase access for more people. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio

A Polynesian voyaging canoe is on a four-year journey circumnavigating the Pacific Ocean, using only traditional methods of seafaring - so no GPS, no motor, no high tech sensors, but lots of sails and wind power. The canoe and its crew recently sailed down the California coast, meeting with indigenous communities along the way.  Reporter: Katherine Monahan, KQED

We spend a lot of time on this show talking about the grim effects of climate change, but not as much on the steps each of us can take to make a difference. That's the idea behind KCRW's new "Anti-Dread Climate Podcast" Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW

The pandemic caused homeschool enrollment to boom across California. In the LA Unified School District, almost twice as many kids are homeschooled as before the pandemic – up 90% in 5 years. And many have stuck with it, even after schools fully opened. Reporter: Robin Estrin, KCRW

Meadows can be a key to forest health. In the Sierra Nevada, however, most have been degraded or lost. But there are efforts underway to restore these habitats.  Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR  A unique holiday tradition here in the Bay Area. The Misfit Cabaret is a variety show that features eccentric performers, often performing burlesque and drag. Reporter: Rachel Martin, NPR

The town of Pescadero on the San Mateo County Coast was once known for fish. But a few decades ago salmon in Pescadero Creek went extinct. Now conservationists, with the help of farmers, scientists and federal money for combating climate change, are helping them come back.  Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED California could lose multiple seats in the US House of Representatives, if new population estimates from the Census Bureau bear out  Reporter: Sameea Kamal, CalMatters

In eastern Solano County, a group of Silicon Valley billionaires have a vision: an urban, walkable city filled with jobs, restaurants, sidewalks and bike paths. Their ambition is to put a dent in California’s gaping housing shortage. But for the farmers who currently own that land, that idea is upending their businesses and their future. Reporter: Adhiti Bandlamudi, KQED California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis is joining calls to remove former President Donald Trump from California's primary ballot. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED 

California will soon allow water agencies to heavily treat wastewater, converting it into drinking water. The State Water Resources Control Board approved regulations to extensively treat sewage water for human consumption.  Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED Congressman Kevin McCarthy officially submitted his letter of resignation on Tuesday, announcing he will step down December 31. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED  Right now, people all over the world are sending friends and family Christmas cards and holiday gifts.  But often overlooked is the one delivering this mail, the mail carrier. Reporter: Billy Cruz, The California Report

Not-for-profit credit unions have long billed themselves as community-based alternatives to big commercial banks. Yet, many California credit unions charged customers millions in overdraft fees last year. Reporter: Scott Rodd, KPBS A new law protecting California workers who use marijuana goes into effect next year. Starting January 1, it will be illegal for employers in California to discriminate against an employee for their marijuana use off the job. Reporter: Billy Cruz, The California Report

New numbers show that fentanyl continues to have a devastating effect on the general public in California. Law enforcement also says the drug poses a threat to officers. For example, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office says one of its deputies recently needed the overdose-reversing drug known as Narcan, after handling fentanyl. But experts say opioids were probably not the cause of his symptoms. Reporter: Brian Krans, The California Newsroom The conservative Christian majority that brought national attention to Temecula in Riverside County no longer runs that city’s school board, at least for now. A board member who was elected last year with the help of a Christian political action committee has resigned. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR

Diamond Bakery, an institution for generations of Los Angeles Jews, closed this month after 77 years. But, in what could be considered a Hanukkah miracle, the bakery’s original recipes will live on. Reporter: Robin Estrin, KCRW California workplace regulators have approved new emergency temporary protections to stall a surge in silicosis, an irreversible lung disease disabling and killing countertop fabrication workers. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

Next month, a major PG&E rate hike goes into effect. It’s the latest cost increase driven by wildfire-related expenses, inflation, and the growing energy demands that come with extreme weather. But these soring utility bills are pushing low income Californians to the edge of homelessness. Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED Sacramento County has launched a first-of-its-kind mobile veterinary clinic, focused on caring for pets owned by homeless residents. It's a free, mobile clinic with medicine and equipment. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio  

Migrant farmworkers used to make up a large portion of the agricultural workforce. In recent years, those numbers have decreased. The rules for living in migrant housing are still largely the same, and it's creating a difficult situation for those living in these centers across the state. Guest: Lindsey Holden, Reporter, Sacramento Bee A California law meant to ensure overtime pay for farmworkers may be leading growers to cut workers’ hours, and thus actually reduce their paychecks. That’s according to new research out of UC Berkeley.  Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

California’s solar industry is facing tough times after state utility regulators changed the rules for rooftop solar last spring. Sales are down and layoffs are up. Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS   The Department of Water Resources has released a final environmental impact report for the Delta tunnel project. The project would pump more water from northern to southern California, but is not without its share of critics. Reporter: Manola Secaira, CapRadio

California regulators are set to vote this week on new emergency rules to protect workers power cutting “engineered stone” to make kitchen countertops. The factory-made material is linked to an aggressive lung disease killing workers. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero Last week, the city of Fresno became one of the first in the nation to raise the Palestinian flag, in solidarity with those killed in the Gaza Strip. The flag raising comes two months after Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer publicly showed support for Israel and made insensitive comments about the ongoing conflict. Reporter: Esther Quintanilla, KVPR 

More than 70, 000 Californians are still waiting on support from the state’s COVID-19 rent relief program. And now, that program could run out of money before it pays out the remaining eligible applicants. Reporter: Ben Christopher, CalMatters Heavier than expected snow is falling this week in the Lake Tahoe area, with some places getting over a foot of "powder".  That, of course, is a good thing for ski resorts, who were worried this year's ski season was getting off to a slow start. Reporter: Billy Cruz, The California Report It's the story of two California cities and two prisons.  One city is Blythe on the border of California and Arizona. It’s home to the Chuckawalla Valley State Prison. Since the lock up first opened in 1988, Chuckwalla has become synonymous with Blythe, with the prison creating hundreds of local jobs and helping to pump lots of dollars into Blythe’s economy. But last year, the state decided to close Chuckawalla. Now, the city of Norco, hundreds of miles away, wants to make a switch, and instead close its prison. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report

Recently ousted Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has announced he’s stepping down from Congress by the end of the year. The news was met with disappointment from many of his constituents in his Central California district. Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR  Temecula’s Christian conservative school board president is one step closer to being recalled. A local PAC has turned in the signatures it hopes will force a recall election. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR State regulators announced the largest wage theft case in the home health care industry, a case that’s led to workers recovering $2 million so far. Nearly 150 caregivers who worked at Adat Shalom Board & Care are set to receive $5.5 million dollars total. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

The number of L.A. residents dying from fentanyl overdoses shot up 1600% over the past six years. A record 3,220 people died of drug overdoses in Los Angeles County in 2022. Fentanyl surpassed methamphetamine to become the most common drug in fatal overdoses.  Reporter: Jackie Fortier, LAist The state’s poorest children are having to wait for weeks, sometimes months, to receive urgent mental health care. When someone calls to make an urgent psychiatric appointment for a child, the state standard is for that appointment to be within four days. A new audit found that’s not happening for 40% of kids - some have to wait months to get an appointment. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio The often glaring health disparities between Black and white Americans are known, like African Americans having an average lifespan that’s six years shorter compared to white people. But now research points to another disparity, involving grief and bereavement.  Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED

The border wall that separates the U.S. and Mexico has long been controversial, but the barrier also causes real physical injuries when people fall from it. And with the border wall nearly twice as tall as it used to be in many places, the injuries keep getting worse.  Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS The state agency that lost billions to pandemic unemployment fraud has a new plan to pay out benefits. Employment Development Department officials hope the updates will help stop scammers from stealing peoples’ money.  Reporter: Lauren Hepler, CalMatters

Four decades ago, California went to war against an enemy that wasn't human. The adversary was the Mediterranean fruit fly, an invasive pest that threatened to destroy California's agricultural economy. To fight the fly, the state launched controversial aerial pesticide spraying campaigns and set up roadblocks and quarantine zones. Fast forward to today and the fruit fly threat to California is back. Guest: Bodil Cass, Professor on Entomology, UC Riverside Faculty members at four California State University campuses are staging a series of single day strikes starting Monday. It comes after months of bargaining. Reporter: Juan Carlos Lara, KQED For the first time, the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife is returning land to an indigenous tribe. The Fort Independence Indian Community will get back 40 acres of sacred land in Inyo County. Reporter: Izzy Bloom, The California Report 

Merced County has the highest rate of homicide in the state. It’s also severely lacking deputies. Sheriff Vernon Warnke says the shortage is so bad, he's disassembling units, like for gang enforcement, just to cover everyday patrol. Reporter: Elizabeth Arakelian, KVPR The housing crisis in California can be felt in all parts of the state. That includes at colleges and universities, where more and more students are struggling to find on campus housing. At Cal Poly Humboldt, some students have turned to sleeping in their cars. And now they're being fined for doing so. Guest: Jillian Wells, Reporter, The Lumberjack 

Governor Gavin Newsom is not running for president, but for some reason, Thursday night in Georgia, he will face off in a debate with a man who is in the 2024 race: Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. What do both have to gain from the debate? Guest: Marisa Lagos, KQED The California Public Utilities Commission will vote Thursday on whether to settle their enforcement against PG&E for the utility’s involvement in the 2021 Dixie Fire. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED More than 3,000 California pharmacies have stopped flavoring medication as of this month. That leaves just 50 statewide that will add flavors like bubble gum or strawberry to make it easier for some children to take medicine. Reporter: Shreya Agrawal, CalMatters

There is still hope that Madera Community Hospital will reopen. It shut down and filed for bankruptcy a year ago, leaving patients with virtually no other options.  Earlier this month, a deal to save the facility fell through. But two more suitors are eyeing the hospital. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR In the Bay Area, a unique childbirth education program for and by Black people is improving birth outcomes and patient experiences. That’s why the agency that oversees Medi-Cal is looking into how it can bring this program to other public hospitals in California. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED 

Imperial Valley residents are hoping to get their cut of the profit from the future lithium industry. For them that means well paid and sustainable jobs. Reporter: Philip Salata, inewsource

In one of the many low income rural communities struck by flooding earlier this year, residents and local officials are still wrangling over how to spend recovery money. At issue is $20 million in state funds for the Central Valley town of Planada. Reporter: Nicole Foy, CalMatters A few hundred hospice nurses, chaplains and grief counselors met in Los Angeles this month at the End Well gathering. Think of it as the TEDx conference for end of life issues. But this year, the organizers invited actors writers and producers from Hollywood to attend, too. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED

It's the start of holiday season, and for some that means getting together with family or loved ones and sharing a nice meal together. But for many, the holidays can amplify feelings of loneliness. The COVID 19 pandemic has changed how we interact with each other and experience events, making this time even more challenging and feelings of loneliness more common. Guest: Kory Floyd, Professor of Interpersonal Communication, University of Arizona and the author of The Loneliness Cure Growing numbers of asylum seekers are arriving in San Diego County. And government resources are not keeping up. Reporter: Katie Hyson, KPBS California K-12 students will soon be taught how to recognize fake news. That’s because of a new law that requires schools to teach media literacy skills starting in 2024.  Reporter: Carolyn Jones, CalMatters

The history of Native Americans fighting for their land is as old as attempts to take it. But efforts to reclaim ancestral lands have become more visible in recent years. In California more than a dozen efforts have already succeeded. Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño, KQED

While many Americans feel like the COVID pandemic is in the past, countless others are still feeling symptoms months or years after they were infected. They're suffering from Long COVID. One such person is Bay Area writer and author Mary Ladd, who recruited more than 40 people from across the country to share essays and poetry in The Long COVID Reader, released earlier this month.  Guests: Mary Ladd and Lisa Carpentier, The Long COVID Reader   Construction on the Pajaro River levee that breached and flooded hundreds of homes in March will begin next summer. The upgrades will cost more than $500 million. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED 

A highly anticipated — and controversial — new program, championed by Governor Gavin Newsom, will begin in LA County on December 1. CARE Court will allow family members to ask a judge to step in with a treatment plan for loved ones living with severe and untreated mental illness.  Reporter: Robert Garrova, LAist A surprise inspection by a federal watchdog agency has found more than half of immigrants in border facilities in the San Diego area were detained for longer than the standard three-day limit. When the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general made unannounced visits to five San Diego locations in May, investigators found hundreds of migrants had been locked up for far longer, including a few held over a month.  Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED 

It’s the first morning since a stretch of the I-10 Freeway near downtown Los Angeles reopened. The freeway was damaged by a fire and had been completely shut down in both directions for just over a week. It was originally thought that repairs might take months. Guest: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report The state Democratic Party convention this weekend in Sacramento was derailed by protesters demanding a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas War in Gaza. The demonstrations reveal a rift in the party heading into 2024 races.  Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Thousands of pediatric RSV shots are being shipped nationwide, including here in California. But some health experts say it's too little, too late. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, LAist

Last month, Los Angeles County ended its money bail system for many crimes.  Now, most people who are arrested in the county for what’s classified as non-violent, non-serious misdemeanors and felonies -- which includes most thefts and vehicle violations -- can be released quickly and without paying a single cent of bail. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report State energy regulators have approved a plan that allows Pacific Gas and Electric to raise rates on its customers. That revenue is supposed to help the utility pay for burying power lines to prevent wildfires and for investments in clean energy.  Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED

California’s largest utility wants to bury thousands of miles of power lines to prevent them from causing wildfires. That’s after Pacific Gas and Electric’s equipment caused the Camp Fire that killed 85 people in the community of Paradise.  But state regulators – who will vote on PG&E’s proposal on Thursday – say that will send rates through the roof for the company’s customers. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED   This week, leaders from around the world are meeting in San Francisco for the APEC conference. The gathering has also been a magnet for protesters. Nearly a thousand climate activists attempted to prevent attendees from entering the APEC conference on Wednesday. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED Nearly 50 maternity wards in California have shut down in the last decade. That means some Californians have to drive hours to give birth at a hospital.  Reporter: Ana Ibarra, CalMatters 

A new law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom will make it easier for low-income teens to access mental health treatment. But some parents are protesting, saying it infringes on their rights as parents. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED   California’s local governments are thinking about staffing up for climate change related challenges. A new report from the nonpartisan group Next 10 tried to gauge how ready the state’s local governments are when it comes to dealing with a warming planet. Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS

Officials say it was arson that caused an enormous fire that damaged a stretch of the I-10 Freeway near downtown L.A., shutting it down to traffic. The closure has made L.A.’s already terrible congestion even worse for commuters across much of the city. State transportation officials say they're working around the clock to speed the reopening of the 10 Freeway. But they acknowledge they face a difficult challenge and have no idea when the repairs will be finished. Reporter: Frank Stoltze, LAist The closure of the 10 Freeway is not only affecting people who drive to work each day. It’s also affecting some parents who drop off their kids at school, and teachers and staff at these schools.    Reporter: Mariana Dale, LAist CalFire is downsizing its seasonal staff in the northern part of the Bay Area, following the end of fire season. The North Bay has been the site of some of the region's most devastating wildfires. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED

How did the state’s unemployment insurance program get conned out of billions of dollars by scammers, all while millions of Californians who had lost their jobs were stuck waiting for money they badly needed? A year-long CalMatters investigation finds that the state was primed for disaster by years of missed red flags and failed reforms. Guest: Lauren Helper, CalMatters

The Biden administration promises a “worker-centered” trade policy that delivers shared prosperity for all Americans. But as San Francisco gets ready to host this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, labor advocates say worker interests are not sufficiently represented at the talks. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Scammers have been stealing millions of dollars a month from low-income Californians’ EBT cards. Yet the state still hasn’t put in needed protections to keep those cards secure.  Reporter: Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters

After months of picketing, SAG-AFTRA has reached a tentative deal to end the strike with the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers. In a letter to its members, the union said the new contract is valued at a billion dollars, and that the approval vote was unanimous. Guest: Robert Garrova, Reporter LAist Autonomous taxi operator Cruise says it's identified a software glitch that led one of its cars to drag a pedestrian in a downtown San Francisco crash. The company has now issued a safety recall. Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED The owner of a Bay Area farm and its parent company are facing felony charges in the death of a farmworker.  Reporter: Nina Thorsen, KQED 

Wednesday marks exactly five years since the Camp Fire killed 85 people and leveled Paradise. Three years ago, PG&E created the Fire Victim Trust to pay out settlements to fire survivors. But some say they’ve lost hope they’ll ever get their full payments. Reporter: Jamie Jiang, North State Public Radio A federal criminal trial is beginning Thursday for David DePape, the Bay Area man facing life in prison for attacking Paul Pelosi with a hammer, and attempting to kidnap former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in San Francisco last year. Reporter: Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, KQED Jewish members of the California Legislature are calling for public universities in California to take immediate action to protect Jewish students. The letter is signed by the 18 members of the Jewish Legislative Caucus and cites recent anti-semitic incidents, including physical abuse and threats against Jewish students. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED

The city of Sacramento is among the many communities in California struggling to find answers for its growing homeless population. A shelter in the city serves hundreds of men and women, but is struggling to connect them with permanent housing. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio Governor Gavin Newsom's prominent role in national politics could be costing him support in California. According to a new poll, Newsom's overall approval rating -- just 44%, is the lowest mark of his governorship. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED

Earth’s hottest summer ever recorded is behind us. Now, California is headed into another potentially drenching winter… while some communities are still recovering from last year’s winter storms. As climate change makes extreme weather more common, one group of Californians is living on the frontlines: those experiencing homelessness. Vanessa Rancaño/KQED News Thousands of protestors rallied in San Francisco on Saturday to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. The rally was the biggest so far in the Bay Area since the war began on October 7th, and was held in conjunction with similar demonstrations across the US. Juan Carlos/KQED News

In recent years, indigenous Land Back movements have been gaining momentum across the country. However, the effort to make reparations for the past can come with a lot of strings attached. To understand the complicated reality of landback actions today, we head to an island near the town of Eureka in Humboldt County, where a landback movement succeeded far ahead of its time. Izzy Bloom/TCR A recent survey from the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies shows who's one step closer to representing the Golden State in the U-S Senate, and whose chances are slim. Guy Marzorati/KQED News

California's Sierra Nevada had record-breaking snow levels earlier this year. The extreme weather created big problems for one endangered animal. Jill Replogle/LAist State Utility regulators will vote on a proposal that advocates say discriminates against schools, farms and apartment buildings. If approved, these multi-meter properties will be forced to sell the energy they produce to utilities... and then buy it back at a higher rate.   

The end of this year will mark the end of California’s historic program to pay reparations to survivors of state sponsored sterilization. There are an estimated 600 living survivors. But 70% of the applications for reparations that have been received, have been rejected. Guest: Cayla Mihalovich, Reporter with the Investigative Reporting Program at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism  In Fresno, the union representing teachers and the public school district have reached a deal for a new contract. That averts a strike that was scheduled to begin on Wednesday. Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR 

A growing number of California students are choosing to commute to college in Tijuana. They’re drawn by cheaper tuition and other advantages. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS   As California moves away from fossil fuel energy sources, officials are looking for ways to ease stress on the state’s electrical grid. Attention is now turning to systems powering swimming pools. Reporter: Manola Secaira, CapRadio

The aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel is proving an especially tough time for Jewish progressives in California. While thousands of Californians take to the streets to support Palestine, many in the Jewish community say they feel abandoned. Reporter: Leslie Berestein Rojas, LAist

Halloween is coming up. For many people it’s just one evening of trick or treating and frightening fun. But in one LA County neighborhood ,there’s a two-block stretch known as “horror row.” It draws people looking to keep things spine-tingling year round. Reporter: Megan Jamerson, KCRW As Fresno Unified teachers prepare to strike next week, they have support from an unlikely source - substitute teachers who are supposed to take their place. The union representing Fresno area substitute teachers voted not to cross the picket line.  Reporter: Rachel Livinal, KVPR  

The Council of American-Islamic Relations is warning its Bay Area members to be alert, after hearing reports that the FBI is targeting Palestinians elsewhere in the country for questioning Reporter: Christopher Alam, KQED  A small rural town in Riverside County faces an unexpected danger -packs of aggressive stray dogs. In recent months, the dogs have killed dozens of livestock and terrorized many residents. Authorities say illegal marijuana farms are to blame. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR In Los Angeles, attorneys have finished opening statements in the trial for the captain of the Conception.  That's the diving boat that caught fire four years ago while anchored off the coast south of Santa Barbara, killing 34 people on board. Reporter: Julia Paskin, LAist

The Department of Motor Vehicles has suspended permits that allowed robo-taxi company Cruise to operate in San Francisco. That comes after an incident earlier this month, in which one of the company's fully driverless vehicles hit and dragged a pedestrian.  Reporter: Dan Brekke, KQED Teachers from the Fresno Unified School District, California’s third largest public school system, have voted to strike. It’s the first strike authorization by Fresno Unified teachers in more than 40 years.  Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR When Los Angeles-area landlords want to evict their tenants, they often hire attorney Dennis Block. Block’s law firm and has boasted about evicting more tenants than anyone else on earth. But a new investigation has found that a judge ruled that Block’s firm recently submitted fake cases in court and artificial intelligence might play a role.  Reporter: David Wagner, LAist 

Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom authorized $30 million in new spending to increase security and police protection at mosques, synagogues, and other houses of worship. It's an example of how war in the Middle East has increased fears about safety within California's Jewish and Muslim communities. Guest: Dr. Alex Lechtman, President of the Board at Congregation B'nai David in Visalia More than two dozen Stanford students are on the fourth day of a sit-in to demand university support for Palestinians. Reporter: Sara Hossaini, KQED Have you ever wondered just how many mountain lions live in California? Well researchers have an estimate.  Reporter: Manola Secaira, CapRadio

Water is the lifeblood of agriculture But as climate change brings more extreme weather, farming towns in the Central Valley face increasing risks from both drought and flooding. But an innovative solution is scaling up with new state investments. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED  About 30% of Head Start programs in California aren’t within easy walking distance to a transit stop for families with young children. That’s a problem, according to a new report, because access to transit is one of the biggest barriers for families who qualify for the federal early education program. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED

It’s been nearly two weeks since Hamas militants abducted nearly 200 people from Israel. Many foreign nationals, including at least 13 Americans, are among the hostages. Here in California, families of the hostages and supporters will be at the state Capitol early next week to demand the release of their loved ones. Guest: Ryan Pessah, Sacramento Resident, Family Abducted by Hamas California's U.S. Senate race took another surprise turn Thursday, as Senator Laphonza Butler says she will not run for a full-term next year.  Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED  California invested billions to help children bounce back from learning loss that happened during the pandemic. But students are still struggling to catch up. That’s according to new test scores out from the state’s Department of Education. Reporter: Carolyn Jones, CalMatters

A fast growing humanitarian crisis has erupted in Gaza because of the war between Hamas and Israel. More than 5,000 people have been killed since the war began last week. Conflict in this region has been going on for decades, causing many Palestinians to relocate or seek political asylum in other parts of the world, including here in California. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California Report Rampant disinformation about the Israeli/Hamas conflict has the San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation calling on social media companies to do better. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED

In more than a dozen California counties, a little-known rule in the Clean Air Act has forgiven air pollution – not from the sky, but from the record. After wildfires flourished across North America this year, more U.S. states east of the Mississippi may use this exceptional events rule to subtract smoke from the record, if not from the air we breathe. But these exceptional events are no longer exceptional, and the requests to obscure them from air-quality records are more common. Reporter: Molly Peterson, The California Newsroom

Thousands of migrant families who were separated at the U.S.-Mexico border by the Trump administration, will now get some benefits and a shot at asylum under a proposed settlement with the federal government. The agreement lets reunified families stay in the U.S. for three years and apply for permanent protection.  Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED It's clear that artificial intelligence is here to stay. For colleges, this means figuring out how to regulate the use of it, while still encouraging students to engage with the software that will only grow in popularity. Guest: Carolyn Jones, Education Reporter, CalMatters

For the first time in California history, all coastal cities are now required to plan for sea level rise, a looming climate impact yet to be fully experienced. A new law requires those cities to come up with strategies and recommend projects to address future sea level rise by 2034. Reporter: Ezra David Romero, KQED  Climate change is taking a toll on farmworker communities in the Central Valley, from extreme heat and deteriorating air quality to drought and sporadic flooding. New state funding and grass roots organizations are working to help those communities manage the most immediate impacts of the worsening climate crisis. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

Hundreds of protesters in Los Angeles and San Francisco rallied against Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto of a bill that would have extended workplace safety protections to domestic workers. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED The only public employees in California who can’t form a union are its legislative staffers. After four previous attempts failed, Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed landmark legislation to allow them to unionize in 2026. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald A new law was designed to make prisons safer for transgender people. However, the well-meaning law created unwelcome consequences for many transgender women in California prisons. Reporter: Lee Romney

Attorneys representing people who reported being sexually assaulted during Uber rides are seeking safety improvements from the company, as part of a new consolidated lawsuit. Reporter: Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman, KQED Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a bill extending a state law that makes it easier to build affordable housing in cities that have failed to meet state housing goals. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED A bill passed in 2002 created a pilot program that allowed Mexican physicians to practice in disadvantaged communities across California. Now, legislators want to expand the program to more counties and include physicians who speak Mexican indigenous languages such as Mixtec and Zapotec.  Reporter: Esther Quintanilla, KVPR

California regulators are poised to shake-up the solar market for apartments, schools and farms. An administrative law judge is proposing changes that make the economics of investing in solar projects unappealing.  Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS Officials with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation are proposing significant changes to the use of solitary confinement in the state’s prisons. But advocates say the process is rushed, and the changes don’t go far enough. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio Pacific Gas & Electric pledged to bury ten thousand miles of power lines in California to reduce the risk of them sparking wildfires. But now, state regulators are considering two proposals that would limit that plan, in favor of cheaper and faster alternatives. Reporter: Izzy Bloom, The California Report

Large-scale traffickers of fentanyl could soon face stiffer criminal penalties in California; that's the result of a law signed by Governor Newsom over the weekend. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Governor Newsom has signed a bill that delegitimizes a controversial medical diagnostic theory called "excited delirium," which has been used to defend law enforcement in cases where a person has died while in custody. Reporter: Stephanie O'Neill Patison, KFF Health News Environmentalists cheered when a ghost lake in California’s Central Valley refilled earlier this year, because it created new wetlands for birds; but now, avian botulism is brewing in Tulare Lake. It’s deadly to birds, and rescuers are in a mad dash to prevent a massive die-off. Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR

As workers across industries walked off the job during this remarkable year of strikes, one union in California won big in its fight for child care providers. The organizers behind this movement were largely immigrants and women of color. Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED  A pair of bills signed over the weekend by Governor Gavin Newsom will require large companies in California to be more transparent about their contributions to climate change, and the risks they face as a result. Reporter: Dana Cronin, KQED

Senator Dianne Feinstein, a California political legend, was laid to rest in a private ceremony in San Francisco Thursday. Hours earlier, 1500 invited guests attended a memorial service on the steps of San Francisco’s City Hall. Those who gathered there reflected on the long arc of Feinstein's life in San Francisco, where she served as a supervisor and then mayor before being elected to the Senate. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED At the US-Mexico border, immigrant rights activists say thousands of asylum seekers have been dropped off in San Diego by Customs and Border Protection over the last few weeks.  In response, the nonprofit Casa Familiar set up a makeshift aid center at San Ysidro Community Park. But it's now at risk of shutting down, over a lack of funding. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS The Golden State Warriors have announced a new WNBA will be created and they’ll start playing in 2025. The team will practice at the Warriors facility in Oakland, and play its home games at Chase Center in san Francisco. Reporter: Madi Bolanos, The California Report   100 years ago, women mariachi bands didn’t exist. Even 50 years ago, women playing mariachi music was rare. Today though, women like Sacramento’s Dinorah Klingler are rewriting the story of male dominated mariachi culture. Reporter: Bianca Taylor, The California Report Magazine

A memorial service for Dianne Feinstein is scheduled for Thursday at San Francisco’s City Hall, where she’s been lying in state. President Joe Biden will deliver remarks by video. Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to attend, as well as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.  Laphonza Butler, who was sworn in this week to replace Dianne Feinstein, is a longtime labor leader, political strategist and, most recently, the president of EMILY’s List, which fights to elect women to office who support abortion rights. One issue that's not on her resume: climate change. Reporter: Dana Cronin, KQED Sand dunes and native plants on beaches can help protect the California coast from the impacts of sea level rise – if and when they’re allowed to thrive. That's according to new research out of UC Santa Barbara. Reporter: Beth Thornton, KCBX

In an unprecedented move in American politics – Bakersfield Republican Kevin McCarthy was ousted as House speaker on Tuesday. Despite this, many of McCarthy's constituents still support the embattled Congressman.  Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR Thousands of Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers in California have walked off the job, starting a three day strike. A coalition of unions representing the workers are demanding wage increases, protections against the outsourcing of jobs, and increased staffing. Laphonza Butler was sworn in Tuesday, filling the seat of Dianne Feinstein, who died last week. It's still unclear if Butler will enter the race to fill the U.S. Senate seat. Guest: Marisa Lagos, KQED

When we think of cleaner and greener alternatives to gas-powered cars and trucks in California, electric vehicles come immediately to mind. But there is an alternative --hydrogen-powered cars. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Governor Gavin Newsom is defending his decision to appoint Emily’s List president Laphonza Butler to Dianne Feinstein’s open Senate seat –which potentially upends the on-going campaigns for that position in next year’s election. Butler is expected to be sworn-in on Tuesday.  Reporter: Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, KQED California water regulators have released support plans for the Bay-Delta watershed, which experts say is in an ecological crisis.  But this doesn’t mean final solutions are in sight. Reporter: Rachel Becker, CalMatters

Longtime labor leader and Democratic strategist Laphonza Butler will be California's new U.S. Senator. News of Butler's appointment -- confirmed by Governor Gavin Newsom's office Sunday night -- comes days after the death of Dianne Feinstein, which left the Senate seat vacant. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED This week, seven California counties launch CARE Courts. They’re the new mental health courts required by the state that have the authority to mandate people with severe mental illness to receive treatment.  The implementation of CARE Court will be under particular scrutiny in San Francisco, as the city wrestles with both mental health and homelessness crises. Guest: Rafael Mandelman, San Francisco Supervisor When presidential candidates travel to places like Iowa and New Hampshire, they usually spend time praising the state they’re in. But that is not what Republicans making the pilgrimage to California are saying about the Golden State. Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED 

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, who spent more than three decades in the Senate, has passed away at the age of 90. Senator Feinstein had a long career in politics even before her time in Washington, as a supervisor and mayor in San Francisco. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED

As of this summer, most incarcerated people across the country can apply for a Pell Grant to pay for a higher education. Criminal justice advocates say this is a key step in keeping people from returning to prison. But in California, the demand is already exceeding the supply. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California Report Southern California communities are paying the cost of a rise in online shopping. More online stores, means more warehouses to store their products. And that's adding to the pollution and economic inequality in these areas.  Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR

Tijuana has long been a refuge for priced-out Californians looking for affordable housing. But now, rents in Tijuana are rising twice as fast as in San Diego. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS  A federal judge in San Francisco is ordering two former Trump administration officials to testify in a lawsuit, brought by migrant parents and children separated at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

Fentanyl-related deaths are up in California. By a lot. And it's no different in Sacramento County, which jumped from 17 fentanyl related deaths in 2018, to 227 last year. One neighborhood nonprofit is trying to save lives, by getting drug users to recognize what might be causing their use in the first place. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio   The iconic Bob's Big Boy diner in Burbank has become the unofficial clubhouse for striking writers. And they're appreciative of the generosity of a Hollywood star, who's helping take care of the bill. Reporter: Yusra Farzan, LAist

After nearly 150 days on strike, a tentative deal has been reached between Hollywood writers and studios. The proposed three year deal would boost pay rates and residuals from streaming shows, and also introduce new rules on the use of artificial intelligence. Shasta County is dealing with major staffing shortages across county departments. Those shortages have forced an entire floor of the county jail to remain closed for over a year. Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio

Governor Gavin Newsom has asked the state insurance commission to take emergency action to fix the troubled homeowner's insurance market. This comes after State Farm, Allstate and more than half of the top 12 insurance groups have paused or restricted new business in the state.   Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED  More than 300,000 Californians have lost health insurance since the state resumed Medi-Cal eligibility checks it had suspended during the pandemic. The majority of Californians who lost Medi-Cal got kicked off because of paperwork. Some didn’t send in their renewal packets, while others had errors on their forms. Reporter: Shreya Agrawal, CalMatters A prestigious national laboratory is partnering with CSU Bakersfield to advance green energy research in the San Joaquin Valley. The partnership is seen by some as historic in nature. Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR  Jacob Rock is a non-verbal, autistic teenager from Los Angeles who wasn’t able to speak until 2020. That’s when he began to vividly type out his thoughts and feelings on an iPad. His parents were flabbergasted to realize that he could read and write and convey his emotions and creativity through text. Reporter: Sasha Khokha, The California Report Magazine

Nursing homes typically help people recover after surgeries or provide round-the-clock care for people with physical disabilities. But a new LAist investigation finds that thousands of people with serious mental illness are living in California’s nursing homes. Experts call it “warehousing” and say the practice may violate federal law.  Reporter: Elly Yu, LAist Farmworker advocates pushing for safer working conditions during wildfires are blasting a decision by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors that could allow crops to be harvested in evacuation zones. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Indigenous tribes are pushing back against a new plan to create a federal marine sanctuary off the Central Coast. Several years ago, the Northern Chumash Tribal Council proposed a sanctuary that would include Morro Bay. But the new federal proposal leaves it out. Reporter: Amanda Wernick, KCBX

Sacramento County’s district attorney says he’s taking the city of Sacramento to court, for failing to enforce its own homelessness laws. County DA Tien Ho says Sacramento city officials “allowed, created and enabled” a public safety crisis, by not enforcing their own laws, including the city’s ban on blocking sidewalks and camping on public property.  Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio  More water to replenish a natural spring in a California forest - less water for the company that bottles and sells it as Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water. That's the result of a decision by California's Water Resources Control Board.  Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR  California is suing oil and gas companies for deceiving the public for their role in climate change. The lawsuit could be a landmark for holding oil companies accountable.   Reporter: Dana Cronin, KQED  A federal judge this week temporarily blocked a California law meant to protect children when they use the internet. Known as the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, the law would require social media companies to take steps to protect minors’ privacy and would limit the use of their information. Reporter: Izzy Bloom, The California Report 

It’s been six months since the levee protecting the small Central Coast farming community of Pajaro burst, flooding the town and forcing thousands out of their homes. And while repairs are underway, a permanent fix is still years in the making. Reporter: Scott Cohn, KAZU A group of Democratic state lawmakers is asking California Attorney General Rob Bonta to take the lead on an effort to remove Donald Trump from the March primary ballot. Reporter: Scott Shafer, KQED     At its board meeting in Sacramento Tuesday morning, California’s Water Resources Control Board will consider issuing a ‘cease and desist’ order to end the pumping of millions of gallons of water out of the San Bernardino National Forest.   Reporter: Anthony Victoria, KVCR 

This week marks six months since powerful storms flooded the small farming community of Pajaro in Santa Cruz County, after its aging levee system failed. The community is still facing major challenges with rebuilding. Reporter: Jerimiah Oetting, KAZU At the Climate Week NYC event, Governor Gavin Newsom announced his intention to sign a first-in-the nation climate bill awaiting his approval back in California. The measure would force U.S. corporations doing business in California that make more than $1 billion a year to publicly disclose their annual greenhouse gas emissions. Reporter: Alejandro Lazo, CalMatters

Nearly 60,000 Kaiser Permanente workers have overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike if there’s no agreement in contract negotiations by September 30. The healthcare workers -- most of them in California -- are pushing for a 7% wage increase in the first two years of this next contract, and 6.25% the following two years. A California appeals court has agreed to hear a challenge to the state’s recently adopted solar rules.  The groups argued the rules do not recognize all the benefits of solar, encourage solar adoption or expand solar in disadvantaged communities. Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS    It’s the end of an era along the Klamath River. Labor Day weekend was the last time the whitewater rapids on the Upper Klamath could be rafted during the summer. A group of antiquated dams are coming down on the Klamath, meaning major changes for the river rafting community. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED 

On this final day of the legislative session, a lot of eyes in Sacramento are on one particular measure moving through the State Senate. It would allow workers who are on strike for more than two weeks, like the Hollywood writers and actors, to apply for unemployment insurance. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED In Sacramento, it’s the final day of the legislative session -- and that means the fate of dozens of bills must be decided as the hours and minutes tick down. The Assembly and Senate have until midnight to send bills to the desk of Governor Gavin Newsom. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED   A $25 minimum wage is in sight for tens of thousands of California’s lowest-paid health workers. The wage hike would be for people like nursing assistants, medical techs and janitorial workers. Reporter: Ana Ibarra, CalMatters

When you think of a meadow, what comes to mind? Probably a peaceful expanse of grass and flowers straight out of a postcard. A perfect place to have a picnic or read a book. But meadows are also key to the health of forests And in the Sierra Nevada most meadows have been degraded or lost. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR Meeting in Long Beach Wednesday morning, California State University’s Board of Trustees is expected to vote on whether to increase tuition at all 23 CSU campuses. The proposal would include a 6% tuition hike over the next five years. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED California currently bans state-funded travel to 26 states because of their anti-LGBTQ laws. But state lawmakers have voted to repeal the travel bans after acknowledging that they haven’t been successful. Reporter: Izzy Bloom, The California Report 

After months of bitter conflict, fast food companies and labor unions have reached a deal that could raise the minimum wage for 500,000 fast food workers in California. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED  If you’re a parent or caregiver in the state, chances are you’ve seen billboards urging you to talk, read and sing to your baby. Now the agency behind those ads, First Five California, is pushing a new statewide campaign to raise awareness about toxic stress.  Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED As cities across California struggle with a lack of affordable housing, developers are thinking micro, as in micro apartments, some smaller than 300 square feet. That includes a new five-story building in downtown Sacramento, the city's third micro apartment community. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio  

The popular social media app Instagram and its parent company, Meta, use artificial intelligence to moderate content. But there are growing concerns that the “training data” for AI is biased against women and people of color. A Los Angeles photographer thinks this “algorithmic bias” is part of the reason Instagram disabled his account. Reporter: Beth Tribolet, KQED The California legislature has passed a bill that would ban the hand-counting of ballots in most elections. The legislation was targeted specifically at Northern California’s Shasta County, where supervisors did away with Dominion voting machines earlier this year.  Reporter: Roman Battaglia, Jefferson Public Radio  Much of the world’s highest quality cotton is grown in the San Joaquin Valley. But the return of Tulare Lake could have a devastating impact on the Central Valley's cotton industry. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America. And according to some neighbors, it’s also one of the loudest. Homeowners in the San Diego region, and across the state, are increasingly taking legal action to resolve pickleball noise disputes. Reporter: Scott Rodd, KPBS California is set to scale back its electric car rebate program to focus more on low-income car buyers.  Reporter: Alejandro Lazo, CalMatters

A judge has ruled that a San Bernardino County school district must hold off on enforcing a policy that requires school staff to notify parents if a student identifies as transgender. Chino Valley Unified is being sued by the state attorney general. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR  In San Diego, the Black Panther Party is recruiting new members. Decades ago, the U.S. government spread misinformation that caused the party to become mostly inactive. Now, the San Diego chapter is one of many reviving across the country.  Reporter: Katie Hyson, KPBS 

Central Coast Congressman Salud Carbajal is unveiling new legislation on Wednesday to help communities near regional airports that have long been facing toxic chemical contamination in their groundwater. The “Clean Airport Agenda” will make sure federal agencies phase out the use of these toxic chemicals in such communities.  Reporter: Benjamin Purper, KCBX State lawmakers are voting on a resolution declaring August trans history month across California. Reporter: Lesley McClurg , KQED California is on its way to becoming the first state to explicitly ban discrimination based on caste. State lawmakers approved a bill to make it a protected class and sent it to the governor on Tuesday. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio 

People who live behind a vast number of aging levees in the United States are more likely to be people of color and have less education compared to those who don’t. And that leaves them more vulnerable to flooding and the impacts of climate change. Reporter: Emily Zentner, California Newsroom A state bill that would require many employers in all kinds of industries to take steps to protect workers from violence at their jobs, has cleared a key hurdle and is headed for a full vote of the State Assembly.  Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

When Joe Sanchez was 8 years old, his grandmother asked him to make a promise to never forget his California Indian heritage. She was determined to see the culture live on, after watching her brothers deny their Coast Miwok ancestry, a matter of economic survival in early 20th century California. Today, at 75, Sanchez is making good on that promise in a more ambitious way than he ever imagined: He’s bought back a piece of his ancestral homeland. Reporter: Vanessa Rancaño 

By all accounts, this year's West Nile virus season has been particularly bad.  The state has reported five fatalities so far this summer. In Sacramento and Yolo Counties, the Mosquito & Vector Control District has been spraying a diluted insecticide throughout the region to kill the mosquitoes that carry the disease.  Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio Kern County’s maternal mortality rate is one of the highest in the state. Family members of people who died there during childbirth have now gotten the attention of the state medical board. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR

The governor’s office is awarding nearly $760 million in grants for affordable housing projects statewide. The money is expected to help create 2,500 new affordable homes, but will pay for more than just new apartments. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio   Workers rights advocates are calling on Los Angeles to combat wage theft as one way to tackle the homelessness crisis in the city. New analysis by the Los Angeles Worker Center Network finds wage theft is so prevalent among the lowest-earning Angelenos, it’s contributing to the crisis. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED  California is seeing a surge in COVID-19 infections. And although hospitalizations have also seen a big jump, it's a far cry from previous COVID waves. So what's behind the jump in cases? Guest: Monica Gandhi, Infectious Diseases Doctor, Professor, UC San Francisco

COVID cases are on the rise in California. According to the state public health department, hospitalizations have jumped more than 80% over the last month.   Reporter: Jackie Fortier, LAist California produces millions of tons of toxic waste each year, but the state’s relying on a shrinking network of aging sites to process it. Many of the older sites have a troubling history of safety violations and polluted soil and groundwater. Reporter: Robert Lewis, CalMatters 

State Attorney General Rob Bonta is suing Chino Valley Unified School District in San Bernardino County, over their policy of mandatory outing of trans students to family members. The policy requires teachers and staff to notify parents within three days if a student asks to use a different name or pronoun. A new political campaign to roll back several protections for transgender youth is happening across California. However transgender advocates say they’re dangerous. Reporter: Lesley McClurg, KQED Hundreds of house cleaners, nannies and home care aides are expected to descend on Sacramento on Tuesday, calling on the governor and lawmakers to pass a bill that would give domestic workers the right to health and safety protections other workers enjoy. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED The recent death of an orca held in captivity in Florida for more than five decades has invigorated calls to release other marine mammals – including Corky – an orca at San Diego’s SeaWorld. At the same time, some California lawmakers are pushing federal regulators to demand better care for marine mammals in captivity.  Reporter: Greta Mart, KRCB

A growing number of California winemakers have seen their crop ruined in recent years by wildfire smoke. The impact is huge: After fires in 2020, the California Association of Wine Grape Growers estimated that up to 325,000 tons of grapes weren’t usable, leading to over $3 billion in losses. Reporter: Manola Secaira, CapRadio The three people who died in last week's shooting at an Orange County bar have been identified. Cook's Corner is often described as a biker bar in Trabuco Canyon. But the community ties run far deeper, stretching back to at least 1926. Reporter: Caitlin Hernandez, LAist

After a 17-month labor battle, a North Hollywood strip club has reopened as the only union strip club in the U.S. But it's not the end of the road. The dancers may have union representation, but they still don't have a contract. Reporter: Robin Estrin, KCRW The world’s largest known octopus garden is in California coastal waters, just 80 miles south of Monterey. A new study confirms these deep-sea octopuses migrate to the area to reproduce. Reporter: Alexander Gonzalez, KQED Through her restaurant, Crystal Wahpepah reclaims and celebrates the traditions of indigenous people, while also nourishing and educating non-native people on the history of the land they occupy. Reporter: Bianca Taylor, KQED

A gunman killed three people and wounded six in a mass shooting in Orange County last night. It happened around 7:00 p.m. at Cook’s Corner, a bar popular with motorcyclists located in Trabuco Canyon in east Orange County. The shooter also died at the scene, likely killed, law enforcement says, by responding deputies. West Coast cities, from Seattle to San Diego, have housing shortages that are driving up rents and pushing some people into homelessness. According to new data on apartment construction, that problem is getting even worse. Reporter: Anna Scott, KCRW In 2020, the Mineral Fire burned nearly 30,000 acres over two weeks. It also caused hundreds of rural western Fresno County residents to seek shelter from the blaze’s smoke indoors. But even inside their homes, many couldn't avoid the health effects of all that smoke. Now three years later, a team of researchers is testing a new way to improve indoor air quality. Reporter: Esther Quintanilla, KVPR

A state legislator wants to create a new state agency that might one day administer reparations to the descendants of slaves. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED Southeast Asian refugees could get protection from deportation under a bill reintroduced in Congress this week by a Los Angeles area Democrat. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED When you visit the Los Angeles La Brea Tar Pits you see an enormous variety of fossils from mega-fauna that roamed the Southern California landscape thousands of years ago. But where did all those creatures go? And why did most go extinct so fast? A landmark new study aims to answer those questions. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, KQED  

Tropical storm Hilary brought lots of rain to parts of Southern California. In San Diego County that will help ease the risk of wildfires in the short term. Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS In the Northern California town of Paradise, many survivors of the devastating 2018 Camp Fire have been watching news of wildfires in Maui with a sense of disbelief. The blaze that destroyed Lahaina has now surpassed the Camp Fire for fatalities, with more than a hundred dead and hundreds more still missing. Reporter: Jamie Jiang, North State Public Radio On Sunday, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake rattled much of Southern California. It didn’t cause much damage or injury, but the quake was a reminder that a far more costly temblor can hit at any time. That got us thinking about earthquake insurance and we found out that the California Earthquake Authority, which administers quake coverage in the state, is making some big changes to earthquake policies. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, KQED

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department advised Catalina Island residents and visitors — especially the medically vulnerable — to leave the island as soon as they could as a precaution. A big and unusual tropical storm isn’t the only worry nature is throwing at Californians. On Sunday afternoon, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck near the Ventura County community of Ojai and was felt in Los Angeles. That temblor was followed by a series of smaller quakes. San Diego got soaked on Sunday as tropical storm Hilary raced through the county. The storm had wind speeds of over 100 miles per hour at its peak, but the system was significantly weaker when it arrived in San Diego. Reporter: Erik Anderson, KPBS

Hurricane Hilary, which is growing down around Baja right now, strengthened to a Category 4 storm this morning. The system had maximum sustained winds of 145 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center. In the coming days, the hurricane could head toward Southern California, bringing threats of major flooding. Reporter: Jacob Margolis, LAist San Francisco is calling on state regulators to temporarily suspend their approval of Cruise's and Waymo's unrestricted commercial expansion in the city. City Attorney David Chiu wants state regulators to first address the city's pending request for a hearing. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED Wildfires have destroyed close to one-fifth of the Earth's giant sequoia trees, found only in California. The National Park Service wants to replant them, but others say that goes against the very definition of wilderness. What is natural? And how much should humans intervene? Reporter: Marissa Ortega-Welch, KQED

The largest is the Head Fire, which is estimated to have burned about 3,500 acres so far. Evacuation shelters have been set up for both people and animals who have been displaced by the fire. Reporter: Jane Vaughan, JPR Southern California’s Hawaiian community is leading local fundraising efforts for Maui after its deadly wildfires. Reporter: Josie Huang, LAist Kids across California are returning to school, but not all students are equally prepared. A study found that in Sonoma County, only 22% of children are ready for kindergarten when they start. Children of Latino, Black and Native American descent were less prepared than other racial groups. Reporter: Amanda Stupi, KQED

The Newsom administration says crews made up of more than one hundred people from California will be in Maui to aid in the search and recovery efforts. That includes forensic anthropologists, specialists in urban search and rescue, wildfire debris removal and hazardous waste experts and K9 teams. Reporter: Angela Corral, KQED In San Francisco, immigrants' rights lawyers are gearing up for a courtroom challenge to President Biden’s border policies, which they say are too restrictive and harm asylum seekers. In Los Angeles, migrants keep arriving on buses sent by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who says Biden’s policies are not restrictive enough.  Guest: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

The Department of Energy has announced $100 million in funding for 19 carbon capture projects nationwide. One of those projects is destined for the Kern County foothills, near Taft.  Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR It’s been one year since a Sonoma County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed local farmworker, David Pelaez-Chavez. His family and community members are calling on the District Attorney to bring charges against the deputy involved. Reporter: Tash Kimmell

At the Aloha Festival in San Mateo over the weekend, members of the Bay Area's Asian American and Pacific Islander community came together to celebrate Polynesian culture and find ways to help people in Maui. Reporter: Billy Cruz, KQED Thousands of low-income California workers shorted on their paychecks may never recover that money, even when they’ve won claims with state regulators. That's why one Bay Area county is giving some employers an ultimatum: pay what you owe or don’t do business here. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

At least 55 people are confirmed dead from the wildfires that devastated the historic Maui town of Lahaina. One resident from the Central Valley moved to the popular tourist town ten years ago to open a bar that's now completely demolished.  Reporter: Izzy Bloom, KQED  Drive-In theaters are a staple in American history. But over the years the number of these outdoor movie theaters has diminished. Despite the shift to indoor movies and a hit from the pandemic, the Madera Drive-In where Madi spent most of her summer nights as a child is up and running. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, KQED

The Murrieta Valley School Board will discuss a policy this evening to notify parents if their child identifies as transgender. This comes after the Chino Valley school board passed a similar policy last month.  Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR More than 100 unionized healthcare workers disrupted a Fresno County Board of Supervisors meeting yesterday. The union is demanding higher wages and healthcare benefits. Reporter: Esthern Quintanilla, KVPR Homeowners in California have been reeling from the news that large insurance carriers will no longer offer new policies in the state. Nonprofits that provide affordable housing are also feeling the squeeze, and that's threatening to make the state's housing shortage even worse.  Reporter: Erin Baldassari, KQED

Standing water in Kings and Tulare Counties in the San Joaquin Valley has led to a proliferation of mosquitoes. As a result, big bucks are being spent on abatement. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR For a lot of parents, having no one to care for their children means they often just don’t go to work, which can be bad for their employers. One study found that businesses lose $23 billion every year due to child care challenges faced by their workers. So some companies are taking matters into their own hands through employer-sponsored care. Reporter: Amanda Stupi, KQED 

Los Angeles city workers including sanitation workers, LAX employees, lifeguards at city pools and traffic officers are participating in a 24-hour strike today over unfair labor practices and bad-faith bargaining. California is one of the few states with heat standards aimed at protecting outdoor workers. But heat protections for indoor workers are limited, despite documented risks.  Reporter: Nicole Foy, CalMatters In Tijuana, a team of very young baseball players is getting ready to represent Mexico in the Little League World Series held in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS 

In Sacramento, a budget deficit limited what California state lawmakers could fund in this year’s budget. Now, lawmakers are looking to bonds as a different strategy to pay for things like climate infrastructure, mental health beds and affordable housing. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio A controversial Farmer John slaughterhouse in the L.A. County community of Vernon closed earlier this year after nearly a century of operations. More than 2,000 people, mostly immigrants, worked there. Months later, laid-off workers are still struggling to adjust. Reporter: Leslie Berestein Rojas, LAist 

A Biden Administration program to monitor asylum-seeking families and subject them to a curfew is set to expand to several California cities next week. It’s part of an effort by the Biden Administration to signal a tough but humane approach to border enforcement. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED  Following the state’s record-breaking rainfall in the winter, and now its dry heat, public health officials are worried about an uptick in Valley fever infections.  Reporter: Izzy Bloom, The California Report In the early 1900s, many young Americans of Japanese descent left the United States to escape discrimination and seek opportunity back in Japan. When war broke out, they experienced the violence of the U.S. offensive while trying to navigate complex, often contradictory feelings about identity and belonging. Reporter Kori Suzuki explores this period through a very personal story — that of his grandmother. Reporter: Kori Suzuki, KQED

After days of triple-digit heat, areas of the San Joaquin Valley, flooded from winter storms, are drying up, little by little. That includes Tulare Lake, which is receding after peaking at more than 170 square miles in size. But for many, the return to dry land doesn’t mean a return to normalcy. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR A coalition of environmentalists and social justice groups have launched a statewide campaign to try to ban new oil and gas wells near schools, parks and other residential places. The group is gathering signatures to get the initiative on the 2024 ballot.  Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED  Survivors of the 2021 Caldor Fire in the Sierra Foothills are pursuing legal action against the U.S. Forest Service. Many residents are still living in trailers, and few, if any have received direct federal assistance. Reporter: Scott Rodd, KPBS

The York Fire, California’s largest wildfire this year, is currently burning in the Mojave National Preserve along the border of California and Nevada.  The fire is also the largest on record for the Mojave Desert, where wildfires are rare.  Guest: Jacob Margolis, Reporter, LAist Former President Donald Trump will campaign in California next month, speaking at the state Republican Party’s fall convention in Anaheim.  The announcement comes even as Trump faces new indictments, this time over his efforts to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election, and his role in the January 6th insurrection.  Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio This summer marks the 59th year that Northern California’s Yurok Tribe is holding its Klamath Salmon Festival. But this year, there won’t actually be any salmon served, because of historically low salmon stocks. Reporter: Izzy Bloom, The California Report 

In recent months we've seen an explosion of strikes and worker protests in California -- by hotel employees, Hollywood writers and actors, port workers, UC grad students in teaching positions, and health care professionals. But when you take them all together, what do these actions say about the state of organized labor in California?  Guest: Lorena Gonzalez, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, California Labor Federation Tens of thousands of family child care workers overwhelmingly approved a new contract with the state of California on Monday. The deal includes significant changes for a workforce made of mostly women of color.  Reporter: Daisy Nguyen, KQED A grassroots group of writers and filmmakers have created a mutual aid fund. The goal is to help their production crew colleagues keep their health insurance during the Hollywood strikes. Reporter: Jackie Fortier, LAist  

In Los Angeles, the strikes by film and television writers and actors continues, with no end in sight. That's brought production to a standstill. And with each passing day, the wider economic toll of the strikes continues to mount. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report In San Diego, police will begin enforcing a controversial new municipal ordinance banning outdoor camping. Under the ordinance, encampments are prohibited within two blocks of schools, homeless shelters and mass transit stations, as well as in parks, along waterways, freeways, and in canyons.

More than 250,000 Californians are still waiting on pandemic rental assistance they applied for through the state. As they wait, eviction protections are continuing to expire.  Reporter: Ben Christopher, CalMatters   With inflation cooling, renters in Los Angeles and Orange counties are about to get a slight reprieve from large rent hikes. The statewide Tenant Protection Act uses inflation to determine how much landlords can raise rent each year. Reporter: David Wagner, LAist San Diego is home to a world-class public art scene.  Throughout the city you’ll find colorful murals stretching across entire buildings and soaring sculptures celebrating the city's heritage. You’ll also find public art sprinkled along the bowels of “America’s Finest City” — from public bathrooms to pump stations to sewage treatment plants. Reporter: Scott Rodd, KPBS

California bans state-funded travel to other states that discriminate against LGBTQ people. That list has ballooned as legislation targeting trans people sweeps the country. Now Democratic lawmakers want to change tactics. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio Residents in Orange County’s Anaheim Hills are voting on a self-imposed tax that would fund a groundwater pump system. That pump system has protected homes from landslides for 30 years, but funding will run out at the end of this year. Reporter: Izzy Bloom, The California Report

Legislative staff in California’s State Capitol have long been banned from unionizing.  In recent years, efforts to grant them that right have been shot down. But another bill to allow staff to unionize is making its way through the state legislature. Reporter: Laura Fitzgerald, CapRadio Advocates rallied Tuesday in support of a bill California lawmakers are considering that would let workers take more paid sick days to care for themselves or family. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Operations at Diablo Canyon, California’s last nuclear power plant, were going to stop in a couple years. But Pacific Gas and Electric is applying to keep it open through 2045 to help the state meet its ambitious green energy goals. A new study says those extra years could result in significantly higher bills for PG&E's ratepayers Reporter: Caleigh Wells, KCRW

The Hollywood strikes this time are different from those of the past, and not just because the technology has changed. Silicon Valley has taken over Hollywood, and Big Tech has an established anti-union bent. Reporter: Rachael Myrow, KQED New data shows California has taken 1 in 5 people off Medi-Cal in its first month of the renewal process. Medi-Cal is the state’s health insurance program for its poorest residents. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio California representatives in Washington D.C. have joined more than 100 lawmakers calling for new heat illness protections for workers. Lawmakers want these protections implemented right away.  Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

This year, there's no fresh, locally caught salmon. The season was closed. So few adult fish are now in the ocean off the California coast, fisheries managers decided they all were needed to return to their natal streams and spawn. Guest: Danielle Venton, KQED Science Reporter Much of California continues to buckle under a sweltering heat wave with no end in sight. But the state’s epic snowpack isn’t going anywhere just yet. Reporter: Joshua Yeager, KVPR

The best surf spots in Santa Cruz are infamous for territorial locals and some occasionally aggressive confrontations.  But lately, not all of the offenders have been human. A five-year-old sea otter has become famous for stealing surfboards, and evading capture. Reporter: Erin Malsbury, KAZU California regulators are developing emergency rules to protect workers dying from inhaling silica dust, in shops making kitchen countertops. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED Wednesday's winning Powerball ticket was bought in downtown Los Angeles' Garment District.  Reporter: Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, LAist 

The Grateful Dead’s offshoot band, Dead and Company, says this summer was their last tour. And their final stop on that tour was in San Francisco, where fans celebrated the end of an era.  Reporter: Izzy Bloom, The California Report Doctors in California say a growing number of workers are getting really sick and dying from inhaling silica dust, while they sand and cut artificial stone to make kitchen countertops. State regulators are considering a petition Thursday for emergency rules.  Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

After months of fighting, the Temecula school board once again failed to approve a new elementary social studies textbook on Tuesday night. That sets up a showdown with the governor’s office. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR  California is dumping at least $100 million a year into its flagship rehabilitation program for former prisoners. Specialized Treatment for Optimized Programming, also known as STOP, provides housing and other support for parolees.  But a new investigation from CalMatters has found the state has no idea if the program works.  Reporter: Byrhonda Lyons, CalMatters   The California State University system is failing to adequately protect its community from sexual harassment.  That's according to a new report from the state auditor released this week. Reporter: Amy Mayer, KQED 

Starting this fall, judges in 8 counties will be put in charge of ordering treatment for people with serious psychotic illness. Some politicians say these new CARE Courts will clean up the streets, while health advocates argue a courtroom is no place for vulnerable patients. In Orange County, officials are balancing this tension as they start to implement the controversial new plan. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED

Central and Southern California are still not in the clear, with heat warnings in place for much of those regions. And for the state’s 115,000 unsheltered homeless residents, trying to keep cool is easier said than done. Reporter: Vanessa Rancano, KQED Construction crews are ahead of schedule on the demolition of the first of four dams on the Klamath River along the Oregon-California border. Reporter: Erik Neumann, Jefferson Public Radio  Most small business owners in California support expanding benefits that help employees take care of their health and their family, like paid sick days. That’s according to the results of a new opinion poll. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED  California’s latest effort to get college athletes paid is stalled in the legislature after pushback from universities. The bill would have allowed college athletes to get a share of the revenue that they create for their school.  Reporter: Ryan Loyola, CalMatters

SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents film and TV actors, announced that its 160,000 members are striking, with actors expected to form picket lines outside of studios on Friday. SAG -AFTRA members will join already striking Hollywood writers. Such a labor stoppage by both unions at the same time hasn't happened since 1960 and it basically shuts down Hollywood production. The heat wave that’s expected to blanket large swaths of the state is forecast to push temperatures in Palm Springs to more than 120 degrees this weekend. The city is struggling to keep its growing homeless population safe in the heat.  Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR What about the state’s power grid, which is always a concern during extended heat waves? California’s electric grid operator says it has more tools to make sure the power stays on. Reporter: Izzy Bloom, The California Report   With temperatures reaching triple digits in much of California, state regulators are once again fanning out to inspect high-risk worksites. Reporter: Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED  

Temperatures are expected to climb well above 100, especially in the state’s valleys and away from the coast the rest of this week. Officials from half a dozen state and federal agencies are warning Californians to prepare for the heat wave. Reporter: Kevin Stark, KQED What’s it like to work and try to protect others in a place that’s sometimes the hottest spot on the planet, with temperatures upwards of 130 degrees? We're talking about California’s Death Valley National Park. Guest: Nichole Andler, Death Valley Park Ranger

LGBTQ Pride events have been taking place across the country amid growing threats of violence towards the community. Along with being frightening, these threats are also impacting Pride organizations' financial bottom lines. One example? Skyrocketing insurance costs. Reporter: Scott Rodd, KPBS   With a strike threat imminent, SAG-AFTRA, the union representing actors, has agreed to last minute federal mediation to try to reach a deal with film and television producers. If a deal isn’t struck, the impact will be widespread, including for big pop culture events like Comic Con, which is set to kick off on July 20th in San Diego.

In April, California passed a first of its kind policy to accelerate the transition to electric big rig trucks. But how does it actually feel to be behind the wheel of one? Reporter: Erin Stone, LAist After raising tuition only once in the last decade, California State University Trustees will meet on Tuesday to consider a possible tuition hike for students in the 23 campus system. The proposal is for CSU to raise annual tuition by 6% through at least spring of 2029.  Reporter: Sara Hossaini, KQED Financed by Bay Area tech investors, a new professional cricket league debuts later this week. It’s part of the sport’s increased visibility in the Golden State and the rest of the country. Reporter: Holly J. McDede, KQED

After not being seen for decades, a rare native plant was recently rediscovered on the Central Coast. Botanists say the tiny Santa Ynez groundstar grows in the city of Lompoc and nowhere else.  Reporter: Beth Thornton  Tent encampments on sidewalks are often the public face of the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles. But a new census of the homeless shows a big increase of the unhoused who live in parked vehicles.   Reporter: David Wagner, LAist 

After months of alarm, forecasters predict that Tulare Lake has peaked in size. That means the risk of flooding has likely subsided for the city of Corcoran. But questions still surround what could have happened if floodwaters had overtaken two state prisons on the outskirts of the city. Reporter: Kerry Klein, KVPR Ford, General Motors and several other truck manufacturers have agreed to abide by California’s ban on the sale of new diesel big rigs by 2036. The deal puts an industry stamp of approval on rules California solidified this year, to fight air pollution and climate change.  Reporter: Kevin Stark , KQED   From time to time this summer, we're talking to Californians about how they're spending their summer months. Today, we head to the Venice Beach Boardwalk. It's a place that's long been popular with street performers, and it's where we met musician Eric Gray, who's a fixture on the boardwalk. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report

The Fresno Chaffee Zoo’s long-awaited ‘Kingdoms of Asia’ exhibit has opened. The exhibit's design was inspired by Cambodia's landmark Angkor Wat temple. Reporter: Soreath Hok, KVPR Hotel workers who had been on strike since Sunday in Los Angeles and Orange counties, have returned to work. But the union representing the workers says they could walk out at anytime, if their demands aren't met.

About 15,000 workers employed at dozens of hotels across Los Angeles and Orange counties have walked off the job, demanding better pay and benefits.  As summer temperatures start to hit triple digits, farmworkers in the Central Valley are especially vulnerable to the toll of excessive heat. And looking ahead it’s not going to get any easier because of climate change, Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED

The California Air Resources Board, or CARB, which regulates car and truck pollution in the state, will soon fully open its new, very expensive state-of-the-art laboratory and testing center in Riverside. The hope is that it can be a key tool in the decades-long fight against air pollution and, more recently, climate change. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report

This summer, the California Report will be taking you to places and talking to people from all walks of life about what they're doing in the months ahead. But first, we're looking at the dollars and cents of California’s tourism economy and how things are shaping up this summer travel season. Guest: Caroline Beteta, President and CEO of Visit California Many people enjoy spending the summer outdoors, and that can mean hiking in some of California's vast and diverse parks, trails and forests. But how can you enjoy it safely, and avoid the crowds? Guest: Chris Hazzard, Author, Professional Hiking Guide

Homelessness is up 9 percent In LA County. Results of Los Angeles' Annual Homeless Count Are Out ...And It's Not Good.   Anna Scott from KCRW has the details. The State Task Force Studying Reparations For African-Americans In California Has Submitted Its Final Report... And As KQED Politics Correspondent Guy Marzorati Tells Us -- State Legislators Now Face The Political Challenge Of Making Those Proposals A Reality. This Week, Governor Gavin Newsom And State Lawmakers Agreed On A State Budget That Includes $10 million for LGBTQ Services To Be Divided Among The State's Community Colleges. That Money Is Critical In Rural Communities Where LGBTQ Plus Services Are Typically Scarce. The Supreme Court's Decision To Do Away With Affirmative Action In College Admissions Will Likely Not Have As Deep An Impact In California Since Prop 209 Banned The Practice back In 1998. The City Of Arcata Will Be The Site Of A New Emergency Mental Health Care Facility With The Help Of A Recent $12 Million Grant. As JPR’s Jane Vaughan reports, The New Behavioral Health Crisis Triage Center Will Hopefully Open In 2026. Here's A Preview Of Our Sister Show, The California Report’s Weekly Magazine. During The Pandemic, Rhea Patel And Marcel Michel Decided To Do Something Bold.... Despite Having NO Background In Food, The Couple Started A Food Business, Bringing Flavors From Their Indian And Mexican Backgrounds To Rotisserie Chicken Dishes. They Call It - SAUCY CHICK....And, KQED’s Sasha Khoka Caught Up With Them At A Sunday Food Market in Downtown Los Angeles.

People who live around several reservoirs in Siskiyou County are facing an uncertain future. Four dams on the Klamath River will be torn down over the next two years. Now, their lakefront properties will change as reservoirs turn into a free-flowing river again. Reporter: Erik Neumann, Jefferson Public Radio   A new report shows California is performing almost 500 more abortions per month than in the period before Roe v. Wade was overturned. The “We Count” project has been collecting data from U.S. abortion providers, as more states implement bans and restrictions. The numbers include both medication abortion and in-clinic procedures. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio The California task force studying reparations for Black residents is submitting its final recommendations to the State legislature on Thursday. Reporter: Annelise Finney, KQED

New numbers out from California's Attorney General's office show a more than 20% increase in hate crimes in the state between 2021 and 2022, with more than 2,100 recorded incidents last year. Reported hate crimes targeting Black people had the sharpest rise. There were also big increases in crimes against members of the LGBTQ and Jewish communities. The majority of Californians live in places where the supply of licensed child care just does not meet the demand. And it could get worse. During the pandemic, additional federal funds helped many child care providers stay open, but that funding is coming to an end. Reporter: Amanda Stupi, KQED In recent weeks, hundreds of sea lions and more than 100 dolphins have washed up sick or dead on the beaches of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. A toxic algae bloom off the coast is thought to be the cause. Reporter: Jacob Margolis, LAist

Have you been recycling your food scraps? A new report finds that California’s landmark compost law that went into effect last year isn’t close to reaching its organic recycling goals. Reporter: Erin Stone, LAist What happens when an elected official essentially becomes homeless because of the cost of California housing? In the small Ventura County town of Ojai, a councilmember has fought to keep her seat, because she can’t find permanent housing she can afford that’s in her district. Guest: Alexei Koseff, Reporter, CalMatters 

By law, California's legislature and the governor must approve a budget by July 1st, the start of the state’s fiscal year. But with that deadline looming, lawmakers and Governor Newsom still haven't struck a budget agreement. Reporter: Nicole Nixon, CapRadio A 2017 law to streamline new housing construction and override neighborhood opposition has been hailed as one of the most successful tools in the state to help solve California’s housing crisis. But this well-intentioned legislation is producing some unintended consequences for a small and underserved community in one of the richest counties in the state. Reporter: Madi Bolaños, The California Report

The U.S. is now the second country in the world to approve the sale of cultivated meat. The meat from Bay Area companies Upside Foods and Good Meat doesn’t come from slaughtered animals. Rather it’s made from animal cells.  Reporter: Keith Mizuguchi, The California Report  In honor of Juneteenth, The California Report Magazine. is celebrating with stories of creative, powerful Black women, and the house in Oakland that has become the center of their movement.  Reporters: The Kitchen Sisters, The California Report Magazine

California officials are pressuring textbook publishers to produce culturally diverse materials for California classrooms. This comes in light of book bans across the country. Reporter: Riley Palmer, KQED Last fall, Sacramento became one of the latest California cities to ban homeless encampments on public property, after voters approved a controversial law called Measure O. Enforcement of the measure is off to a sluggish start. Reporter: Chris Nichols, CapRadio  

California’s sky high housing costs are the biggest contributor to homelessness, and older residents are feeling it the most. That’s according to a new study from the University of California, San Francisco. Reporter: Sydney Johnson, KQED  Hospitals and workers agree - California has a healthcare staffing shortage.  What they don’t agree on is how to fix it. Democrats in the state legislature are pushing to increase the minimum wage for health care workers to $25 an hour. But hospitals, counties, and business groups say now isn’t the right time. Reporter: Kate Wolffe, CapRadio

When a levee burst in a January rainstorm in the Central Valley town of Planada, floodwaters wrecked the homes of hundreds of farmworker families. In March, the same thing happened again, a levee failed in the Salinas Valley and inundated the farmworker town of Pajaro. Those communities are now pushing to get some real help in the state budget. Reporter: Tyche Hendricks, KQED Abortion access is a Constitutional right in California. Yet lawmakers here continue to struggle to regulate so-called crisis pregnancy centers – facilities that abortion advocates say mislead women seeking abortion care. Reporter: Kristen Hwang, CalMatters 

Later this month, the statewide task force studying reparations for black Californians will submit its historic final report to the state legislature for consideration.  Most of the focus has been on monetary reparations, but some say the task force will take a bigger picture approach. Lawmakers in the state senate will consider a bill on Tuesday that aims to help low-income teens access mental health treatment. But some affluent parents say it would take away their rights. Reporter: April Dembosky, KQED California lawmakers are now waiting for Governor Gavin Newsom to sign off on their proposed state budget. Among the countless line items – $10 million set aside for LGBTQ + services at California community colleges.  Reporter: Adam Echelman, CalMatters 

Mayors across California are feeling the pressure to reduce street homelessness and tent encampments. So, they’re increasingly turning to temporary housing as a solution. But investments in shelters could come at the expense of permanent housing. Reporter: Guy Marzorati, KQED California prides itself on being a diverse state. But actually connecting people who have radically different life experiences can be a challenge. The Santa Monica public library is hosting events to encourage deep one-on-one conversations between people from different backgrounds. It’s called a “Human Library.”  Reporter: Claire Wiley

A busload of more than 40 migrants, sent by the state of Texas, arrived in Los Angeles Wednesday afternoon.  The group included at least eight children. Questions linger about how two groups of migrants ended up on flights to Sacramento earlier this month. Some asylum seekers now say the state of Florida hired contractors to push them to get on the flights.  Guest: Jack Herrera, L.A. Times national correspondent

Local and state officials are cracking down on the use of gas-powered gardening equipment, like leaf blowers. But not everyone is thrilled about these changes. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report Tijuana’s migrant shelters are struggling to stay afloat. A few things threaten their long term future: declining donations and rising costs. Reporter: Gustavo Solis, KPBS

20 members of Congress from California sent a letter to the EPA. They're worried that a rule intended to improve air quality could make it harder to conduct prescribed burns. Reporter: Danielle Venton, KQED The rejection of a social studies textbook by three conservative Christian school board members in Temecula is causing more upheaval. While California's Attorney General awaits a response from the board to justify its decision, some community members in Temecula are pushing for a recall of the board members. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR  Residents are moving into an all-electric housing development in the sunny, arid city of Menifee in Riverside County. There are roughly 200 single-family homes, all designed to create zero harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Reporter: Laura Klivans, KQED

There are more than 300,000 licensed security guards in California - a number that’s been growing over the past decade.  But in the wake of a fatal shooting of an alleged shoplifter in San Francisco last month by a Walgreens drug store guard, the training required by state regulators is looking increasingly outdated.  Reporter: Marisa Lagos, KQED Thousands of unionized hotel workers in Southern California have overwhelmingly voted for a strike authorization measure. If they do walk off the job, they say it will be the biggest hotel strike in U.S. history. Reporter: Saul Gonzalez, The California Report  

The southern San Andreas Fault hasn’t generated a major earthquake in 300 years. But why? Well, new research published in the scientific journal Nature explains that might be due to the shrinking of the nearby Salton Sea. Campaigns to ban books are on the rise in the U.S. That includes the Riverside County community of Temecula. There, the school board’s decision to reject a textbook has sparked a censorship battle. Reporter: Madison Aument, KVCR Music legend Chris Strachwitz passed away last month in Marin County at the age of 91. He was the founder of Arhoolie Records. He also traveled the country making field recordings of music performed by cotton-pickers, janitors, and other working people. Reporter: The Kitchen Sisters